Richard Lamm on Multiculturalism Did Richard Lamm make a speech saying multiculturalism is destroying America? A Frightening Analysis We all know Dick Lamm as the former Governor of Colorado. In that context his thoughts are particularly poignant. Last week there was an immigration-overpopulation conference in Washington, DC, filled to capacity by many of Americans finest minds and leaders. A brilliant college professor named Victor Hansen Davis talked about his latest book, Mexifornia, explaining how immigration both legal and illegal was destroying the entire state of California. He said it would march across the country until it destroyed all vestiges of The American Dream. Moments later, former Colorado Governor Richard D. Lamm stood up and gave a stunning speech on how to destroy America. The audience sat spellbound as he described eight methods for the destruction of the United States. He said, If you believe that America is too smug, too self-satisfied, too rich, then lets destroy America. It is not that hard to do. No nation in history has survived the ravages of time. Arnold Toynbee observed that all great civilizations rise and fall and that An autopsy of history would show that all great nations commit suicide.' Here is how they do it, Lamm said: First to destroy America, Turn America into a bilingual or multi-lingual and bicultural country. History shows that no nation can survive the tension, conflict, and antagonism of two or more competing languages and cultures. It is a blessing for an individual to be bilingual; however, it is a curse for a society to be bilingual. The historical scholar Seymour Lipset put it this way: The histories of bilingual and bi-cultural societies that do not assimilate are histories of turmoil, tension, and tragedy. Canada, Belgium, Malaysia, Lebanon all face crises of national existence in which minorities press for autonomy, if not independence. Pakistan and Cyprus have divided. Nigeria suppressed an ethnic rebellion. France faces difficulties with Basques, Bretons, and Corsicans. Lamm went on: Second, to destroy America, Invent multiculturalism and encourage immigrants to maintain their culture. I would make it an article of belief that all cultures are equal. That there are no cultural differences. I would make it an article of faith that the Black and Hispanic dropout rates are due to prejudice and discrimination by the majority. Every other explanation is out of bounds. Third, We could make the United States a Hispanic Quebec without much effort. The key is to celebrate diversity rather than unity. As Benjamin Schwarz said in the Atlantic Monthly recently: The apparent success of our own multiethnic and multicultural experiment might have been achieved! Not by tolerance but by hegemony. Without the dominance that once dictated ethnocentrically and what it meant to be an American, we are left with only tolerance and pluralism to hold us together.' Lamm said, I would encourage all immigrants to keep their own language and culture. I would replace the melting pot metaphor with the salad bowl metaphor. It is important to ensure that we have various cultural subgroups living in America reinforcing their differences rather than as Americans, emphasizing their similarities. Fourth, I would make our fastest growing demographic group the least educated. I would add a second underclass, unassimilated, undereducated, and antagonistic to our population. I would have this second underclass have a 50% dropout rate from high school. My fifth point for destroying America would be to get big foundations and business to give these efforts lots of money. I would invest in ethnic identity, and I would establish the cult of Victimology. I would get all minorities to think their lack of success was the fault of the majority. I would start a grievance industry blaming all minority failure on the majority population. My sixth plan for Americas downfall would include dual citizenship and promote divided loyalties. I would celebrate diversity over unity. I would stress differences rather than similarities. Diverse people worldwide are mostly engaged in hating each other that is, when they are not killing each other. A diverse, peaceful, or stable society is against most historical precedent. People undervalue the unity! Unity is what it takes to keep a nation together. Look at the ancient Greeks. The Greeks believed that they belonged to the same race; they possessed a common language and literature; and they worshiped the same gods. All Greece took part in the Olympic Games. A common enemy Persia threatened their liberty. Yet all these bonds were not strong enough to over come two factors: local patriotism and geographical conditions that nurtured political divisions. Greece fell. E. Pluribus Unum From many, one. In that historical reality, if we put the emphasis on the pluribus instead of the Unum, we can balkanize America as surely as Kosovo. Next to last, I would place all subjects off limits ~ make it taboo to talk about anything against the cult of diversity. I would find a word similar to heretic in the 16th century that stopped discussion and paralyzed thinking. Words like racist or x! xenophobes halt discussion and debate. Having made America a bilingual/bicultural country, having established multi-culturism, having the large foundations fund the doctrine of Victimology, I would next make it impossible to enforce our immigration laws. I would develop a mantra: That because immigration has been good for America, it must always be good. I would make every individual immigrant symmetric and ignore the cumulative impact of millions of them. In the last minute of his speech, Governor Lamm wiped his brow. Profound silence followed. Finally he said, Lastly, I would censor Victor Hanson Daviss book Mexifornia. His book is dangerous. It exposes the plan to destroy America. If you feel America deserves to be destroyed, dont read that book. There was no applause. A chilling fear quietly rose like an ominous cloud above every attendee at the conference. Every American in that room knew that everything Lamm enumerated was proceeding methodically, quietly, darkly, yet pervasively across the United States today. Every discussion is being suppressed. Over 100 languages are ripping the foundation of our educational system and national cohesiveness. Barbaric cultures that practice female genital mutilation are growing as we celebrate diversity. American jobs are vanishing into the Third World as corporations create a Third World in America take note of California and other states to date, ten million illegal aliens and growing fast. It is reminiscent of George Orwells book 1984. In that story, three slogans are engraved in the Ministry of Truth building: War is peace, Freedom is slavery, and Ignorance is strength. Governor Lamm walked back to his seat. It dawned on everyone at the conference that our nation and the future of this great democracy are deeply in trouble and worsening fast. If we dont get this immigration monster stopped within three years, it will rage like a California wildfire and destroy everything in its path, especially The American Dream. HAT TIP: Mark Levin Show ABC News(WASHINGTON) -- President Donald Trump would not commit Wednesday to being interviewed by Special Counsel Robert Mueller as part of the Russia investigation and called the prospect "unlikely," despite saying last year that he would be willing to speak with him. "We'll see what happens," Trump said when asked if he would be open to such a meeting. "Certainly I'll see what happens, but when they have no collusion and nobody has found any collusion at any level, it seems unlikely that you'd even have an interview." Trump's position, stated during a news conference with Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg at the White House, came in the wake of reports this week that Mueller and his team raised the possibility of an interview with the president during a meeting with his attorneys. A source with knowledge of the meeting, which occurred last month, said that it was not the first instance in which Mueller expressed a desire to meet with Trump as he continues to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and potential collusion with the Trump campaign. Last June, the president provided a different answer when asked by ABC News' Jonathan Karl whether he would open to speaking with Mueller. At the time Trump was refuting congressional testimony by former FBI director James Comey in which Comey claimed that the president had asked for Comey's loyalty. Trump said he would "100 percent" be willing to share his version of the encounter with Comey under oath. When Karl followed up to ask if he would do so with the special counsel, the president said he "would be glad to tell him exactly what I just told you." As has become routine, Trump fervently denied Wednesday that any collusion took place and described such a suggestion as "a phony cloud" that has hung "over this administration and our government." "It has hurt our government," he added. "It does hurt our government." Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Calaveras County Seal View Photos San Andreas, CA Calaveras Countys roiling drama over cannabis continues as the board of supervisors struggle in the stormy aftermath of its 3-2 vote to shut down the industry. Today while Calaveras County officials are alerting registered growers and the public as to the ramifications of the commercial marijuana ban passed after a tumultuous day-long meeting (reported here), they are holding in tandem meetings to potentially prepare a twin-set of board-sponsored initiatives aimed at reassigning the decision to the voters. The new ordinance limits the cultivation of cannabis for commercial and medical use to the limits imposed by California State law, which includes cultivating no more than six live cannabis plants per residence. Any cannabis grown within the legal limits of California law must be screened from public view and secured with child-resistant locks. The temporary permits issued under Calaveras Countys urgency regulatory ordinance will now automatically terminate within 90 days of the effective date of the ordinance. Growers who were previously allowed to cultivate under the urgency ordinance must restore their site(s) to the former state within 24 months. This includes ensuring permits were completed and filed for any grading or water diversion activities that were conducted. In Bans Wake, A Ballot Initiative? In an interview with Clarke Broadcasting, County CAO Tim Lutz recounts the boards direction to staff following the ban vote, which came after District 3 Supervisor Michael Oliveira voiced great displeasure with an outright ban, stating that such a sweeping decision should be determined by voters. The result of an ensuing discussion and board poll led to a move to have county staff develop two competing measures for the June ballot. The question of the ballot measure has been brought up a number of times through the last year, and ultimately, I think that it is the best-case scenario in what has been such a divisive topic, Lutz says thoughtfully. Unfortunately, by the sake of the citizens [ban] initiative from the election last year, it really forced the ball back into the boards court. Ultimately, something as controversialand divisive as this is, is better decided by the residents and the voters. He speculates that a board-sponsored ban measure would probably be similar or even identical to the ordinance approved yesterday. The other, being a regulatory ordinance, would cover a scope that he says is still to be determined. When staff brings it back to the board for deliberation, at that point it would get feedback and direction as to if it mirrors what they considered yesterday - mostly directed by [District 1 Supervisor and Board Chair Gary] Tofanellior if it would be broader, such as considerations that the Planning Commission recommended, Lutz explains. After consulting with County Clerk-Recorder Rebecca Turner, who overviewed timelines, Lutz says that Jan. 30 might be the deadline for the board to get a framework so that there would be time for measures to be certified for the election, which needs to happen sometime in February. A Different Kind Of Ballot Race Staff thought it was doable but it is certainly going to be a very tight turnaround, Lutz confides. He adds that success would hinge on the boards ability to agree on what a regulatory ballot measure would look like. Ostensibly, he says it would not be any more restrictive than the strict local rules the board was considering but could not come together on. Among the issues that created yesterdays impasse were firm stances by the boards three already ban-favoring supervisors that would limit grows to very large parcels, requiring considerable setbacks. As to buzz about a citizens ballot initiative, which requires signatures and thus a longer timeline, Lutz says efforts that might be underway in that direction, if successful, might more easily qualify for the November ballot. At any rate, as of today the supervisors have three opportunities to further discuss the potential twin-measures as a special meeting is now slated for Jan. 16 and two more regular meetings are scheduled Jan. 17 and 23. . Right now, obviously, staff is regrouping, Lutz offers, an inarguable understatement. We are having meetings to discuss what needs to come back to the board for discussion points, how we want to structure that, and I would expect that we would have more information in the coming days as we work through those questions. MEXICO CITY (AP) Five states in Mexico now have the sternest "do not travel" advisories under a revamped U.S. State Department system unveiled Wednesday, putting them on the same level as war-torn countries like Syria, Yemen and Somalia. The five states are Tamaulipas on the U.S. border and Sinaloa, Colima, Michoacan and Guerrero on the Pacific coast. All the states are hotspots of drug cartel activity, either hosting trafficking routes or extensive drug-crop cultivation. Tamaulipas shares a border with Texas, stretching from the Gulf of Mexico to Laredo. READ ALSO: Employee of Mexican music group reportedly beheaded by Gulf Cartel in Tamaulipas The State Department had previously discouraged travel to all or part of those states but the new warnings are sterner, placing them on a level 4 warning, the highest level of potential danger. Mexico as a whole has a level 2 rating, meaning Americans should "exercise increased caution" because of concerns about crime. But an additional 11 Mexican states got a level 3 warning Wednesday, which urges people to "reconsider travel" there. Mexico has 31 states, half of which are now under level 3 or 4 warnings. Those states where Americans are urged to reconsider travel include the State of Mexico Mexico's most populous state, which includes most suburbs of Mexico City and Jalisco, home to the city of Guadalajara, the Puerto Vallarta resorts and the lakeside expat community of Chapala and Ajijic. But the travel advisory said there are "no restrictions on U.S. government employees for stays in ... Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta, Chapala, and Ajijic." RELATED: Acapulco, once popular Mexican town, deteriorates as warring cartels provoke killings and violence Mexico's federal tourism department was not immediately available to comment on the new warnings. Most of northern Mexico, including the border states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and Sonora as well as Durango, Zacatecas and San Luis Potosi, are under level 3 warnings. Some of the states have long been off limits for U.S. government employees. Last year, the State Department extended a total ban on personal travel by U.S. government personnel to Guerrero. U.S. personnel had previously been allowed to fly to the resort of Ixtapa, the last place in Guerrero where they had been allowed to go. Personal travel by land and to the resort city of Acapulco had already been prohibited. Tamaulipas has long been riven by turf wars between rival drug cartels, and Sinaloa is home to the cartel of the same name. Michoacan was so dominated by a drug cartel that vigilantes took up arms in 2013 to drive them out. RELATED: Report: 8 cartel members arrested in Mexico after officials say they killed 16 people Colima has seen homicides skyrocket in recent years due to the growth of the Jalisco New Generation drug cartel, and the state now has Mexico's highest homicide rate, with 83.3 killings per 100,000 residents, according to figures for the first 11 months of 2017. The state with second-highest homicide rate 61.6 per 100,000 was Baja California Sur, home to the twin resorts of Los Cabos. The state conserved its level 2 advisory, "exercise increased caution," despite a series of shootouts and killings in recent months. Rising levels of violence have not so far affected Los Cabos, which saw a 16 percent increase in tourism arrivals and an 18 percent rise in hotel occupancy in 2017, said Rodrigo Esponda, managing director of the Los Cabos Tourism Board. Esponda said local officials and tourism operators are investing in increased security, including camera systems and the construction of a new marine base. "We are going to keep working very hard in 2018 to make sure that Los Cabos continues as a safe destination," Esponda said. Speaking to local media earlier this week, Tourism Secretary Enrique De la Madrid said, "In my opinion, the most important challenge we have in the tourism sector are crime events occurring where they didn't before, for example in Cancun, la Paz and Los Cabos." Matthew Busch, For The San Antonio Express-News / For The San Antonio Express-News A certain celebrity has been roaming the Alamo City unnoticed, it appears. Carly Rae Jepsen, of "Call Me Maybe" fame, shared an image Monday of the Shops at Rivercenter mall downtown near the Alamo ahead of her performance at the AT&T Center, where she will open for Katy Perry Wednesday night. RELATED: Katy Perry will make S.A. her 'Witness' with January 2018 tour stop The photo featured her bassist, Adam T. Siska, who in turn shared an image of the Alamo on his own account on Monday. Perry and Jepsen will head to Little Rock in Arkansas and Dallas after their San Antonio performance, according to Perry's website. No photos of Perry have popped up on social media but an employee at Thai Lucky posted she had served Perry's band. Kelsey Bradshaw is a digital reporter for mySA.com. | Read more of her stories here. | kbradshaw@express-news.net | Twitter: @kbrad5 PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwas government has reportedly withdrawn former First Lady Grace Mugabes State security detail, as the former First Family continues to adjust to life after former President Robert Mugabe was forced to resign last November. Grace, who was kicked out of the ruling Zanu PF in November, where she was womens league boss, used to have security agents specifically assigned to her, but these were withdrawn progressively until Monday. Her close security team used to be headed by a police commissioner, Olga Bungu, who is now reported to be operating from the commissioners pool at the Police General Headquarters in Harare. Sources confirmed yesterday that Graces security team had been reduced gradually since her husbands ouster, with most aides assigned to her being recalled and reassigned. She no longer has a team that is dedicated to her, a source said on condition of anonymity. Grace will largely depend on the team that is assigned to the former President. She can no longer determine how the aides operate, but will be an indirect beneficiary of her husband. Presidential spokesperson, George Charamba, declined to comment on the matter, referring NewsDay to the new Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) director-general, Isaac Moyo, and the Police Protection Unit in charge of Mugabes security. The CIO and police would give you a correct position on the matter, he said. But, logically, I believe it would be expensive for the government to provide security to Chatunga [Mugabes youngest child] now whenever he travels to America or decides to relocate there. I think the idea is that security details and other benefits are accrued to the principal [Mugabe]. Other members now enjoy through the principal and not by virtue of their position or association. Police spokesperson, Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba, said she was unware whether Bungu was still attached to the former First Lady. I dont know, I will need to find out, she said. According to a recent Government Gazette, Mugabes security team has been slashed to a minimum of six officers and its size could be varied depending on circumstances. The former President is entitled to a salary equivalent to that of the sitting President, will have two drivers, two private secretaries and two aide-de-camp officers or personal assistants and two office attendants, among other benefits. University of Zimbabwe lecturer and constitutional lawyer, Lovemore Madhuku, said, at law, First Ladies do not have separate security, but benefit from the team that is assigned to their spouses, hence, the move should be viewed as downgrading and not withdrawal. She (Grace) is part of the [former] Presidents team, so the same people attached to protect the [former] President are the same who should be available to her as well, he explained. Even the current First Lady [Auxillia Mnangagwa], she benefits from the team that is responsible for the President because you cannot separate the two. Meanwhile, Chimurenga Gandanga Gurus, a popular My Zimbabwe News reader who regularly comments on our Facebook page has ordered the former talkative First Lady not to worry much after losing State bodyguards as she could get her own security guards, popularly known as ana mahobho. NewsDay Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai has been told to make his succession plans known as it is key for a winning presidential campaign. This statement was made by prominent lawyer and Mt Pleasant house of assembly aspirant Fadzayi Mahere after MDC-T spokesperson Obert Gutu refuted claims that Tsvangirai will soon resign from the partys presidency. In his New years message published by various media in Zimbabwe, Tsvangirai hinted that he would hand over power to a youthful leader. Chamisa was reportedly being groomed for the top post. Maybe Tsvangirai should speak directly to the people and make his plans known explicitly, tweeted Mahere. A clear message on who is running and a strong vision are vital for a winning Presidential campaign. As things stand, we have neither. MDC-T has merged with various political parties under the banner MDC Alliance aimed at unseating the ruling party in the forthcoming elections. However, these efforts might be offset by the current squabbles and succession challenges that haunted Zanu PF and led to the ouster of former President Robert Mugabe. Takudzwa Chiwara Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News Emmerson Mnangagwas post-Mugabe regime is consolidating its power even as it takes steps to open the economy. To that end, the new president has appointed as his vice president the former army chief, Constantino Chiwenga, the man who orchestrated the coup against Robert Mugabe that brought Mnangagwa to power. Further, Mnangagwa has announced the arrest of two ministers who supported the efforts to make Mugabes wife Grace his successor. Former foreign minister Walter Membi and former energy minister Samuel Undenge have been charged with criminal abuse of office. Former finance minister Ignatius Chombo has already been arrested, but all three are free on bail. Finally, Mnangagwa has ruled out any possible coalition arrangement with perennial opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who is fighting colon cancer. Mnangagwa has, however, offered official help with Tsvangirais medical bills. Mnangagwas biggest break from Mugabe so far is in his concrete steps to revive Zimbabwes collapsed economy. To that end, he is seeking international investment and loans from international financial institutions. To bolster international confidence, he has started to return seized farms to white owners and his spokesman is saying that land reform is over. The Mugabe ban on foreign ownership of Zimbabwean assets has also been lifted, with only a few exceptions. Nevertheless, Mnangagwa and Chiwenga are both notorious for violating human rights while serving as Mugabes enforcers, most notably in the early 1980s in Matebeleland and in 2008 during elections. Chiwengas elevation to vice president is a signal that little has likely changed in the character of Zimbabwes leadership. In the short term, Mnangagwas strategy of economic liberalization while maintaining Mugabes illiberal political system (despite some new faces at the top) is likely to work. It may encourage him to proceed with national elections in 2018, as international opinion is pressuring him to do so. US Council of Foreign Relations Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News Malawi government has dismissed reports that it has granted political asylum to fugitive professor Jonathan Moyo. A Malawian publication has claimed that the man is currently in Malawi. But the Minister of Information and Communications Technology Nicholas Dausi has dismissed as fake reports that Moyo is in Malawi. ZimEye earlier on also exposed that the Malawian publication is in fact based in the United Kingdom. He is not here in Malawi [and] there has been no granting of political asylum, Dausi said. Jonathan Moyo whose whereabouts are unknown surprised many when he appeared on British television programme HardTalk on early this morning, but refused to disclose his whereabouts fearing for his safety. Speaking on BBCs Hardtalk programme, Moyo said he was not a fugitive because he left Zimbabwe legally and there was no warrant of arrest against him at the time. I left Zimbabwe with the help of people who to me are angels because they saved lives, Moyo said. I escaped the net of the military people to be where I am legally. I ran away from a death warrant an unlawful attack on my house, Moyo said. He said the only charges against him were political and that these wouldnt be of interest to Interpol, the global police agency. Jonathan Moyo was regarded as the brains behind the G40 faction that orchestrated Mnangagwas expulsion from ZANU PF in attempt to block his presidential bid. ZimEye Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News By Shepherd Bliss, Sonoma County, Northern California Putting the words death and cafe together may seem unusual. In the United States, many of us ignore our own pending, inevitable mortality. Many Americans do not accept that they will surely die, much less talk openly about it with others, especially strangers. On the other hand going to ones favorite cafe is something that many enjoy. Being in a cafe setting talking about death may not seem inviting, yet it can be invigorating. Death Cafes began in Europe. More than 5,400 monthly Death Cafes now exist in over 52 countries. Initiated in 2010 by John Underwood in London, they began in Sonoma County, California, soon after that, with various facilitators over time. Adults of all ages are invited to sit around tables, share snacks and tea. They talk about their experiences, hopes, and fears at Death Cafes around the world. The basic idea is to create a comfortable, informal, and respectful environment, where people can talk openly and candidly. Tess Lorraine has been facilitating them monthly since 2014 in Santa Rosa and began offering them in Sebastopol this January on the third Friday of each month, 3:30 to 5 p.m., at the Sebastopol Area Senior Center. They are open to all adults. The Santa Rosa gatherings happen at the Fountaingrove Lodge on Saturday afternoons. Increasingly, as we age, conversations happen regarding degenerative and life-threatening diagnoses, said Lorraine. The cost of denial is that we lose the opportunities for the wisdom, growth, and healing that can occur when we share authentically. Our death is our final frontier and our lasting legacy. In a Sonoma Death Cafe monthly newsletter Lorraine published the following Ancient Celtic Wisdom poem: Be a full bucket, drawn up the dark way of the well. Something lifts you up into the light and shows you your wings. A full cup is set before you. You taste only sacredness. According to the deathcafe.com website, At a Death Cafe people gather to eat cake, drink tea and discuss death. Our objective is to increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) livesThere is no intention of leading people to any conclusion, product or course of action. A Death Cafe is a group-directed discussion of death with no agenda, objectives or themes. It is a discussion group rather than a grief support or counseling session, the website continues. Death Cafes are not a place to proselytize, seeking to convert others to ones beliefs about death and dying. It is a place to tell and honor ones stories, as well as to hear different perspectives. Death Cafes offer a structure and format that encourage conversation. Laughter is not unusual, especially as people get to know each other and feel comfortable enough to share in a safe, facilitated environment. Death Cafes are one indication of growing death awareness here and elsewhere in the U.S. For everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted, according to Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. The Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh had a beautiful way of putting it when a little girl asked him if hed decided what hed be in his next life. He said maybe a little dust, and some soil and a bit of the sky, a cloud, a flower, and perhaps other stuff. Then he said oops, he had to be careful or he might step on the flower, if he wasnt being mindful and laughed, according to Deborah Thayer. Many indigenous cultures are more death aware than the dominant American cultures. For example, this reporter lived in Mexico and appreciates that countrys annual Day of the Dead celebration, where families go to graveyards at night to honor their ancestors. It is still my favorite holiday. I have attended them here in Sonoma County. A deep connection exists between love and death. As the poem For Those Who Have Died by Chaim Stern starts Tis a fearful thing to love what death can touch. For more information and to get on the monthly email list for Sonoma County Death Cafe meetings: tesslorraine@mac.com. A sense of profound grief has enveloped a Clonmel family after losing a fourth member to cystic fibrosis following the death of forty four year old Kieran Hickey from Kilmacomma in a Dublin Hospital. Devastated parents Michael and Bridie , who have endured the passing of cystic fibrosis sufferers Kay, Brian and Laois, are mourning the loss of their brother Kieran who passed away in St.Vincents Hospital in Dublin. Michael, has been recognised by Cystic Fibrosis Ireland for his lifetime of dedication to cystic fibrosis sufferers all over Ireland and his incredible fundraising achievements.Kieran is also survived by his brother Micheal, sister in law Marie, nephews Brian and Ciaran,niece Ailish,aunts,uncles, cousins and friends. Kierans funeral will arrive at St. Marys Church, Irishtown, Clonmel at 7.30pm on Thursday evening (11th January 2018). Funeral Mass on Friday at 12 noon followed by burial in Touraneena Cemetery. Family flowers only please. Donations, if desired, to Cystic Fibrosis Unit, St. Christophers Ward, St. Vincents Hospital, Dublin. The first member of the Hickey family to pass away from CF was one year old Laois who died in 1969, fifteen year old Kay died in 1982 and Brian died in 1996 aged 25. Their parents Michael and Bridie have worked tirelessly for families of cystic fibrosis sufferers and was been given a special recognition award by Cystic Fibrosis Ireland. Even while coping with difficulty in his own family, Michael has been a support to other families, serving as the chairman of the Tipperary Branch of Cystic Fibrosis Ireland since 1984. In all Michael and his wife Bridie have been involved with the Tipperary branch of CFI for 47 years. At a Cystic Fibrosis Irelands Better Together conference in Galway, some years ago Michael was honoured with the special recognition award as his friends and colleagues marked his retirement as the local branch chairman, a role he held for 27 years. Michael was also honoured by the local regional group TLC4CF, who are fundraising for a specialised CF unit at Limerick Regional Hospital, in thanks for all his support for the project. The awards were a special thank you to a man who has dedicated most of his life to helping and supporting others in his community and were presented by CFI ambassador and GAA pundit Joe Brolly. Paying tribute to the family Philip Watt,Cystic Fibrosis Chief Executive Officer said Michael and Bridie were held in such high esteem in the cystic fibrosis community in Ireland. "Nobody should be visited by this in their lifetime.To lose four children, we just cannot imagine the scale of the loss .Our love and condolences go out to all the family.Despite all of the challenges they faced in their own family they also devoted themselves to helping so many others," said Philip Watt CEO. He described Kierans parents Michael and Bridie as "truly wonderful people" and paid tribute to the very significant role they played in raising funds for the new CF unit in Limerick Hospital which was spearheaded by the Tipperary,Clare and Limerick CF branches. In 2013 Cystic Fibrosis Ireland brought out a book "For The Roses" to tell the stories of families around the country who are dealing with cystic fibrosis. The following is an excerpt from the book on Michael Hickey and his family. Michael Hickey (above) is a youthful 75 years of age and is a long-time volunteer and Chairperson of the Tipperary branch of the CFAI. Michael and Bridie Hickey live in Clonmel. They have had five children, of whom four were born with CF. They lost three of their children to CF. Kay died in 1982 aged 15, Laois died in 1969 aged 1 and Brian died in 1996 aged 25. Their son Kieran, who also has CF, will be 40 years old in July. Michael is their only child without CF. Michael shares with us his memories of Kay, Kay was a lovely bright child and attended the local Presentation College in Clonmel. I cant speak highly enough of the nuns who were her teachers, they really looked after and encouraged her. Even though Kay was ill, she was determined to sit her mock exams for the Junior Cert. The school was very helpful and arranged for her to sit her exams in Ardkeen Hospital in Waterford, but before she could take her exams, she suddenly took a turn for the worse and she died surrounded by her books. Michael remembers his son Brian, Brian was 25 when he died in 1996. He was big into cars and was the proud owner of the registration 92TS1. He was being treated in St Vincents Hospital under the excellent care of Dr. Muiris FitzGerald. Brian knew he was dying and asked to be taken home to Tipperary. Dr. FitzGerald only agreed after some persuasion as he knew that there was nothing left that could be done for Brian but he did not think he could survive the journey home. Just as we arrived back to our house, Brian tore the oxygen mask off his face and threw it over his shoulder and asked for Bridie to come out to him in the car. He told us mam and dad I love you. I carried him into the sitting room where he died peacefully in a chair. I think it made a huge difference to him to be allowed die at home. Brian was very close to his sister Kay. When Kay died, Brian was only 12 at the time but he said when it was his time to die, he wanted to be buried on the outside of the family plot with Kay in the middle for protection. Father OBrien, our Parish Priest was very moved and he made sure Brian got his final wish. Despite the grief of losing three children to CF Michael says, We are blessed to be parents of five loving, caring and compassionate children. There are many in the world who are worse off than us. We still have two wonderful sons, Kieran and Michael, and we have three lovely grandchildren. South Tipperary General Hospital launched a new quality initiative Hello my name is.... this week to improve patient care. Nurses, doctors, allied health professionals and other HSE staff particularly frontline staff - are being asked to tell their patients their name, as part of the #hellomynameis campaign for more compassionate care. #hellomynameis was started by Dr Kate Granger in the UK after she became frustrated with the number of staff who failed to introduce themselves to her when she was an inpatient with post-operative sepsis. Kate had terminal cancer and started a campaign on Twitter and on her own website asking staff to make a pledge to introduce themselves in future to their patients. Kate believed it is not just about common courtesy, but it runs much deeper. Introductions are about making a human connection between one human being who is suffering and vulnerable, and another human being who wishes to help. They begin therapeutic relationships and can instantly build trust in difficult circumstances, making every patient contact count. Kate sadly passed away on 23rd July 2016. Her legacy lives on through #hellomynameis which continues to go from strength to strength improving patients experience of healthcare All STGH staff are being provided with name badges, #Hello my name is and have pledged to always introduce oneself to patients and visitors,treat people as you would a friend or family member,always see the person not just the condition and treat people with respect and dignity. Simple things like introducing oneself can put patients at ease and positively influence the patient experience.All healthcare staff in South Tipperary General Hospital will commit to putting patient engagement and compassion at the heart of our healthcare services in Tipperary, said General Manager Maria Barry. (Natural News) Censorship, discrimination and mandatory anti-bias training sessions that cross the line into political indoctrination are now common stories for conservatives on college campuses. But they are increasingly the norm at another haven of young progressives: Silicon Valley. (Articles by Peter Hasson republished from DailyCaller.com) A class action lawsuit filed on behalf of former Google engineer James Damore and other right-of-center Google employees describes a culture of censorship and discrimination: managers openly discuss blacklists meant to encourage and coordinate the sabotage of promotions, performance reviews, and employment opportunities for those with conservative viewpoints, Google employees are pressured to undergo one-sided Bias Busting re-education sessions focusing on white male privilege, and employees risk their careers by speaking out against progressive orthodoxy, the lawsuit states. The suit claims that Google illegally discriminates against white male employees as part of the companys diversity efforts. Internal messages included in the lawsuit reveal employees openly conspiring against Damore after he shared a memo criticizing the companys diversity polices and calling for more tolerance of conservative viewpoints. You know, there are just certain alternative views, including different political views which I do not want people to feel safe to share here, one high-ranking Google employee wrote on a company message chain. Added another employee: If Google management cares enough about diversity and inclusion, they should, and I urge them to, send a clear message by not only terminating Mr. Damore, but also severely disciplining or terminating those who have expressed support. Damore was fired shortly afterward. Thats just whats going on internally at Google. (Natural News) The accumulation of heavy metals such as cadmium in food is a major issue in scientific communities and international food organizations, due to the high toxicological risks to consumers, and because there is no detailed record of such contaminants actual content. This is why researchers at Universidad Pedagogica y Tecnologica de Colombia felt the need to conduct a study, so as to be able to find out the concentration of cadmium in products such as table chocolate, which is produced and consumed greatly at the regional and national levels in Colombia. (Related: Original cacao is ancient treasure of chocolate from the Ecuadorian rainforest (updated).) In the study, cadmium content in powdered and granulated table chocolate was identified in the municipality of Chiquinquira, Boyaca-Colombia, via the different pulse voltammetric method of anodic redisolution. Cadmium quantification in samples of granulated and powdered chocolate showed values of concentration between 214 and 260 parts per billion (ppb), with the highest concentrations of powdered chocolate. Table chocolate is produced using cacao beans, which is third in the world market of raw materials after sugar and coffee. Cacao is endemic to Asia, South America, and western and central Africa. Colombia is the eighth largest cacao producer in South America, with more than 54,000 tons produced annually since 2014. While Colombia presently accounts for only one percent of global cacao production, experts forecast that it might be contributing more in the years to come. Cacao production is chiefly for domestic consumption, with the countrys two largest processing firms Medellin-based Grupo Nutresa (formerly called the National Chocolate Company) and Manizales-based CasaLuker getting between 80 and 90 percent of output. Domestic consumption of cacao is 0.8 kilogram (kg) per capita, with Federacion Nacional de Cacaoteros (Fedecacao) executive president Eduard Baquero Lopez saying domestic consumption can be increased to 1 kg per capita. Colombia started exporting excess production in 2011; in 2013, exports of cacao reached 7,600 tons. The same year, 250 tons of cacao were exported via Fedecacao directly, primarily to Europe; by 2014, the organization recorded almost 300 tons of export. We are confident we can reach 1,000 tons in 2014, Baquero said. Most of our commercialization efforts are directed at Holland, Belgium, and the U.K. For the extent of their consumption and the size of their processing industries, but Switzerland, Germany, Russia, the U.S., and Canada have all shown interest in our cacao, he added. According to the New York Mercantile Exchange, cacao has reached $3,071 per ton in May 2014. Prices are forecast to rise due to expectations of demand surpassing supply, with the International Cocoa Organization predicting that demands will skyrocket to one million tons by 2020 as requirements in Asian markets, especially China, soars. The Colombian government is targeting to provide an additional 700-meter hectares of land for cacao cultivation, while at the same time giving producers incentives and financing instruments to work on government plots. How cadmium has become bioaccumulative in food products such as table chocolate Natural processes such as volcanic activity or rock erosion, plus excessive waste deposition in different ecosystems, have led to a heightened presence of of compounds and xenobiotic elements with bioaccumulative and toxic materials, among which are heavy metals like cadmium, which pass directly or indirectly to different foods, of which fruits, vegetables, and meats and their by-products are the most vulnerable. Cadmium is a danger to health as it negatively impacts the pulmonary tract, causes tubular damage to the kidneys and bones, and increases the risk of cancer. The study found that even though the cadmium values obtained from locally-grown cacao were below the maximum tolerable weekly limit intake set by the World Health Organization, they are still high compared with other studies from other countries, due to contamination from planting, harvesting, and fruit transporting during product manufacture. As such, greater care should be exercised when importing various food products from different countries. For more news stories on chocolate and cacao, visit Cacao.news. Sources include: Scielo.org [PDF] OxfordBusinessGroup.com (Natural News) Using DNA samples from a 500-year old mummified remains of a child, researchers were able to crack the genetic code of an ancient strain of the hepatitis B virus (HBV). The finding, wherein scientists were able to sequence the complete genome of the virus, could help medical experts understand the intricacies of HBV, which is a pervasive, complex, and deadly pathogen that today kills nearly one million people every year. Although its evolutionary history and origin remain a mystery, the data they shared establishes the fact that HBV has plagued humans for hundreds of years. The 16th-century remains, which was buried in the Basilica of Saint Domenico Maggiore in Italy, was at first analyzed to be an infection of the Variola virus (commonly known as smallpox) with experts even thinking that this was the oldest evidence for the presence of smallpox in Medieval remains that had a critical time stamp as proof of its origins. However, earlier studies did not include DNA testing as part of the procedure. Now, with advanced sequencing techniques, researchers now posited that the mummified child was indeed infected by HBV. Children infected with HBV may develop the Gianotti-Crosti syndrome, which includes a facial rash similar to those found in the mummy, which could have been misidentified as smallpox. This just goes to show how complex the process of identifying infectious diseases in the past was. Hendrik Poinar, an evolutionary geneticist with the McMaster Ancient DNA Centre, said: These data emphasize the importance of molecular approaches to help identify the presence of key pathogens in the past, enabling us to better constrain the time they may have infected humans. The researchers extracted small tissue samples of skin and bone from the mummified child, which then yielded tiny fragments of DNA. The group then pieced together these fragments of genetic information to form a more complete picture. While their findings have identified the connection between both the ancient and modern strains of HBV, they are both missing temporal structure. This means that there is no measurable rate of evolution throughout the 450-year period which separates the mummy sample from modern samples. Since viruses evolve very quickly, evolution may only take a couple of days. In this case, scientists believe this particular ancient strain of HBV hasnt changed much despite its age and that its evolution is complex. (Related: Hepatitis B Vaccines in Infants: Helpful or Harmful?) According to some estimates, 350 million people are currently diagnosed with chronic HBV infections, and one-third of the global population has been infected with the virus at least once in their lives. With these numbers, researchers believe that it is important to prioritize studies on ancient viruses. Hendrick Poinar, a principal investigator with the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, concluded that further study on the behavior of earlier pandemics and outbreaks could help us understand how modern pathogens could work and spread. Using this information, we could effectively control diseases such as HBV. Natural remedies for hepatitis Hepatitis, an inflammation of the liver, has various symptoms that can be eased using these natural remedies: Ayurvedic medicine suggests beets , which can promote the regeneration of liver cells. , which can promote the regeneration of liver cells. Burdock and dandelion can cleanse the liver and the bloodstream. can cleanse the liver and the bloodstream. Licorice root can help treat viral hepatitis, especially chronic active hepatitis, because of its antiviral properties. Avoid this herb if you have high blood pressure. can help treat viral hepatitis, especially chronic active hepatitis, because of its antiviral properties. Avoid this herb if you have high blood pressure. Milk thistle extract contains silymarin, a flavonoid that can help the liver heal and rebuild. extract contains silymarin, a flavonoid that can help the liver heal and rebuild. Olive leaf extract is a potent antifungal agent. is a potent antifungal agent. Schizandra, a Chinese herb, can help protect the liver. You can read more articles about hepatitis and disease prevention at Prevention.news. Sources include: NewsWise.com HomemadeMedicine.com (Natural News) Experts have released guidelines on how to protect yourself from carbon monoxide poisoning following the tragic death of a 13-year old girl in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. Major winter storms heighten the risk of poisoning with people turning up the heat to cope with the weather. However, the same heating devices also produce fumes that contain carbon monoxide. If the room or area is not properly ventilated, this odorless, tasteless, and colorless gas builds up, which can ultimately lead to serious consequences. In an article that appeared in Newswise, Dr. Diane Calello, executive of the New Jersey Poison Control Center, explained that severe weather often results in illness and deaths from hypothermia and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, as well as exposures to a variety of substances. If theres a silver lining to this, its that people can do something to prevent exposure to the gas. Rest assured that the states poison control center will be here to respond to your calls for help, 24/7, Dr. Calello reassured. How to minimize the risk of CO exposure or poisoning Always run generators outside, and keep a safe distance when using them. Experts recommend maintaining a distance of more than 20 feet (6.1 meters) from you and your neighbors home, including open doors and windows. This will ensure that CO gas cannot be blown back into the building. Keep all heating and dryer vents free from snow. Ensure gas appliances are well-ventilated. You can open up a window to allow airflow. Open flues when youre using the fireplace. Do not use the stove to heat your home. Aside from carbon monoxide poisoning, an open flame in the house can be a fire hazard. Never bring nor run generators, pressure washers, grills, camp stoves, or other gasoline, propane, natural gas or charcoal-burning devices inside your house. This includes the basement, garage, and carport, as well as campers, boat cabins, or tents. Dont even bring them near an open window or door. Do not use a charcoal grill, hibachi, or camping stove inside the house, or tents and campers. Do not idle a car in a closed garage. This also applies to confined spaces where there is a possibility of carbon monoxide buildup. Once you pull in, turn off your engines immediately. Also, dont run your engine if youre less than 20 feet from an open window, door, or an exhaust leading to an enclosed area. If your car is in a snowbank or stuck in the snow, dont put it on idle. Clear out the snow first, then check if your tailpipe and its surrounding area are clear. This prevents exhaust fumes from being blown back to the car. Install carbon monoxide detectors in your house, if you dont have them yet. If you already have them, check if they still work properly or need immediate replacement. The most common symptoms of CO poisoning include headaches, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. However, people who are asleep or are inebriated are at greater risk they can die from CO poisoning without ever having symptoms. If you think youre suffering from CO poisoning, taking immediate action can be the key to your (and your familys) survival. If a person is unconscious or does not respond, get him out of the house immediately and call 911. Get out of the house or building immediately. This reduces the risk of inhaling more fumes. Contact the authorities and seek immediate treatment. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has noted at least 5,000 deaths in the past decade, with an average of 430 deaths per year. In the latest string of carbon monoxide-related deaths, a teenager died on January 4, 2018, after an apparent case of poisoning in New Jersey. Aside from the teenager, 35 other victims in the multi-family home were rushed to the hospital following the incident. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the poisoning. (Related: Chemical leak at New Hampshire hospital nearly causes 20 patients and staff to lose consciousness this is a place of HEALING?) Sources include: Newswise.com CDC.gov 1 CDC.gov 2 ABC7NY.com Griffith Foods is very pleased to announce that Doug Pritchard has joined the team as vice president/general manager, Canada. Doug has more than 20 years of food industry experience in Canada and the US. Most recently, Doug held the position of North American president for Soda Steam International, Ltd. Prior to this, he was vice president of beverages for Kraft Canada, and held various marketing positions with General Mills in Canada and the US. He has experience developing, manufacturing, and marketing new brands and innovation with both grocery and QSR customers. Doug has succeeded Jim Thorne as GM at Griffith Foods in Canada. Jim has been promoted to vice president, global marketing & strategy for Griffith Foods International, Inc., relocating to Griffiths head office in Alsip, Illinois. Doug is excited to join the team at Griffith Foods Canada. Doug will oversee the activation of Griffith Foods new Purpose Driven Strategy to blend care and creativity to nourish the world. By Creating Better Together with our customers and industry partners, Griffith Foods is committed to making a positive impact on our communities and our planet. NBC Bay Area has learned that San Francisco is investigating complaints of a drunken party at a city fire station that may have left the stations only on-duty paramedic incapacitated. The probe, which is being conducted by San Franciscos emergency services agency, focuses on a gathering in September at Station 11 in Noe Valley. The complaint was that the celebration of a firefighters transfer got out of hand. At least five firefighters and command staff have been notified that they are under investigation, sources told NBC Bay Area. One thing investigators want to know is whether the station misrepresented its ability to handle life-saving calls when its on-duty paramedic was incapable of fulfilling his advanced life-support function, sources said. That could violate the service agreement between the Fire Department and the Department of Health, according to city Supervisor Aaron Peskin. Peskin called the allegations very disturbing. The emergency services agency of the Public Health Department declined to comment. Lt. Jonathan Baxter, a Fire Department spokesman, also would not discuss specifics of any personnel matter. But he confirmed there is an ongoing probe into very serious allegations when specifically asked about the Station 11 case. The Station 11 case is not the first time the department has faced accusations of drunken firefighters. Back in 2013, Michael Quinn was allegedly under the influence when he drove the rig that struck a motorcyclist. Quinn resigned after the incident but still faces criminal charges. The victim, Jack Frazier, was seriously injured and ended up getting nearly $5 million in a legal settlement with the city. As for the latest incident, sources told NBC Bay area that the firefighters and commanders who recently received letters alleging misconduct will be interviewed in coming weeks. An Aeromexico plane nearly landed on the wrong runway at San Francisco International Airport, and the Federal Aviation Administration is now investigating the incident, officials confirmed Wednesday. The incident was reported Tuesday when Aeromexico Flight 688 from Mexico City was given clearance to land on Runway 28R at SFO. "Aeromexico Flight 668 was cleared to land on Runway 28R, and correctly read back that clearance. When the plane was about a mile from the airport, air traffic controllers noticed the aircraft was lined up for Runway 28L and instructed the crew to execute a missed approach. A Virgin America jet was on Runway 28L at the time," FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said. Aviation consultant Mike McCarron viewed the flight's track approaching SFO, saying air traffic controllers noticed the jet was headed for runway 28L, where the Virgin America airliner was set to take off for Kona, Hawaii. McCarron said the jet was about 500 feet off the ground and a mile away from the other aircraft when it was diverted. "Youre looking at about 20 seconds, 15 to 20 seconds, to cover a mile," McCarron said. "So it was close, but there was more than enough time." An Aeromexico plane nearly landed on the wrong runway at San Francisco International Airport and the Federal Aviation Administration is now investigating the incident, officials confirmed Wednesday. Terry McSweeney reports. Passengers on Flight 668 shared their thoughts on the close call. "We almost landed then we had to go back up and go back around because the planes were too close," said Melanie MacDonald of San Francisco. McCarron said passengers can take comfort in the fact that the system worked. "All the backup systems kicked into place," he said. "The controllers watched, they saw he wasnt lined up properly, they give the command to go around, he went around it and landed safely." The FAA is investigating the incident. Tuesday's close call follows a pair of SFO incidents involving Air Canada flights that made headlines last year. In October, a pilot for Air Canada Flight 781, an Airbus 320, failed to respond to air traffic control's warning not to land on the runway because it was not clear whether another jet was still on that runway. In July, the FAA said an Air Canada pilot almost landed on the taxiway instead of the runway at SFO. In response to the close call, the FAA issued new rules for nighttime landings and control-tower staffing at SFO. NBC Bay Area's Terry McSweeney contributed to this report. Body parts found inside a Hayward warehouse in June 2017 have been confirmed to be those of missing San Francisco Uber driver Piseth Chhay, according to the San Francisco Medical Examiner's Office. The San Francisco Police Department Homicide Detail Unit is conducting a homicide investigation for Chhay's death, and investigators have identified Bob Tang as a suspect. Tang is believed to have fled to the country to Cambodia. SFPD is working with its law enforcement partners to locate and arrest Tang. Tang was a longtime employee at the Hayward warehouse where the body parts were discovered June 25, and police had searched the warehouse previously without finding anything, the San Francisco Police Department said. The body parts found at U.S. Trading Co., a food distributor, were tested by the San Francisco Medical Examiner against DNA samples provided by the family of Chhay, an Uber driver who went missing May 14. Chhay left his San Francisco home that day to meet Tang, a family friend, and never returned, Chhay's wife, Rattana Kim, said. Tang worked at U.S. Trading for several years, the company said. NBC Bay Area also learned that the company is owned by relatives of Tang. The U.S. does not have an extradition treaty with Cambodia, so it's not clear yet whether Tang could be forced to return to the Bay Area to face any possible charges if he is found. Immigration attorney Joseph LaCome says someone who kills here and escapes to there may never face justice. "Even with something as bad as murder, the U.S. can't force the Cambodian government to bring him back," LaCome said. Anyone with information regarding the case or information of Tangs whereabouts is asked to contact the San Francisco Police Department at (415) 575-4444 or Text a Tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with SFPD. You may remain anonymous. Gary Calvin gripped his bass guitar and dug into a low-end funky groove, eyes clenched as his fingers plucked a flurry of notes that reverberated off the room full of empty metal tables drawing the sleepy gaze of an armed guard. Maybe this particular music wasnt historic, but the place of its conception certainly was. This was Dining Room Two at Folsom State Prison the exact spot where the Man in Black on Jan. 13, 1968 introduced himself with the words, Hello, Im Johnny Cash, and kicked off the most famous prison concert in history. Hes kind of a monument, Calvin, a Folsom inmate said. It doesnt matter race, gender, whatever everybody knows Johnny Cash. In advance of the 50th anniversary of Cashs famous concert, which became a live album, prison officials invited a gaggle of reporters to tour the famous prison of Cashs song. In reality, the prison yard was too far away to hear an actual "train a coming," but it still felt as if you might hear one rumbling by. There were no plaques marking the dining room location where Cash played but the space seemed to give off a musical aura as if he might strap on his Gibson flattop at any second and break into his famous "Folsom Prison Blues." The cruel irony was that hundreds of inmates whove served time in Folsom knew the lyrics of that song before theyd actually experienced the intimate longing it refers to. I heard it, and I never thought Id end up here, said inmate Andrew Clayton, who plays guitar in the prisons band. It happens. Cash showed up for the concert with his soon-to-be wife June Carter and his band the Tennessee Two along with Carl Perkins. Cash played two concerts that day, cherry-picking the best songs of both for his "At Folsom Prison" album. In the end, all but two songs came from the first concert. His first choice venue to perform the concert was actually Marin Countys San Quentin State Prison, home to Californias death row. But calls from his manager to the prison went famously unreturned. So Cash instructed his manager to reach out to Folsom, which jumped at the chance. The album went on to make the prison so popular that it later opened a museum, which sits just beyond the main gate where Cash posed for an iconic photo. Inside the museum, cases display old handcuffs and uniforms although the majority of visitors from around the world come to see the tiny room of vintage pictures from the iconic visit or to buy a Cash T-shirt. People come in, thats usually the first thing they ask is 'Where was Johnny Cash?' said Jim Brown, a former Folsom prison guard who now oversees the museum. A lot of them think he did time here and I kind of have to break their bubble and say No, he was here for concerts. [BAY GD/RM JR] Folsom State Prison Marks 50th Anniversary of Famous Johnny Cash Concert Theres no one still at the prison who actually witnessed Cashs concert, but its as if the show and its lore are now permanently wired into the facility an electricity coursing through the generations of inmates whove since come and gone. Prison officials took visiting reporters into an automotive training building where inmates were learning to work on cars. Inmates consulted manuals to rebuild engines or to learn how to change the rubber on a tire. Even here among inmates of diverse backgrounds, Cash was a language everyone seemed to speak. I know hes never done time here, said inmate Patrick Conrad. Hes iconic here. In another building where inmates learned the ins and outs of commercial home wiring, inmate Curtis Weary marveled at the thought a performer as famous as Cash would want to visit a prison and perform. So when you have entertainers that take the time out of they day and they life, that means a lot to me, Weary said. Knowing that Johnny Cash did that back in his days, that was a real good thing that he did. The dining room where Cash played looks pretty much like it did in 1968 when he performed for about 1,000 prisoners on a stage thats long gone. A nearby room where hangings were once carried out served as Cashs green room. Barbed wire rings the dining room and an old mural-like painting was a relative of another mural that was visible in pictures from the concert but has been since taken down. Calvin, the bass player, was among a group of the prisons inmate musicians tapped to play in the dining room for visitors though these days the group is more likely to play funk or jazz fusion than a country song. But Calvin counts Cash as an idol if nothing else for the redemptive lessons of Cashs own life, which landed the entertainer in jail several times. For me, hes the example, you can go through this, Calvin said. You can go through this and you can come out and be successful and make a positive difference. Calvin and his bandmates laid into a dark funky dirge a sound that bounced off the stone walls where a sign read No warning shots fired. Cash had stood in this same spot, playing to a roomful of men who found temporarily solace in a rare afternoon of music. The prison planned to mark the anniversary with a concert by a Johnny Cash impersonator. But for many in Folsom, it was almost as if the real Johnny Cash was still headlining too. The group fighting to oust the judge who came under fire for his handling of a sexual assault case involving former Stanford University swimmer Brock Turner turned in its recall petition on Thursday. Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Aaron Persky drew criticism nationwide after he sentenced Turner to six months in jail for sexually assaulting a woman who had passed out behind a trash bin near a fraternity house. Critics blasted the sentence as being too lenient. After spending months gathering signatures at Stanford University, farmers markets, San Jose's Christmas in the Park, and other community events, volunteers filed in to the Santa Clara County Registar of Voters office on Thursday with 11 boxes containing 95,000 signatures in support of recalling Persky. Officials now have 30 days to verify those signatures. If 58,634 signatures are verified, Santa Clara County voters will take up the issue during the June election. Michelle Dauber, who chairs the comittee that is leading this effort, said the volume of signatures collected speaks to the outrage over what she says is Persky's troubling pattern of decisions in cases regarding women. "The voters of Santa Clara County are saying loud and clear: Hold accountable ... athletes and privileged offenders who commit offenses against women," she said. Jennie Richardson, co-director of the Recall Persky Campaign, echoed the same sentiment. "As weve seen recently, with the #MeToo campaign and 'Time's Up,' theres been a cultural shift where people are starting to hear victims," she said, "and believe them." A group called Voices against Recall, however, supports Persky, saying that such a move over an unpopular, but legal decision is inappropriate and sets a dangerous precedent. In a statement submitted to the registrar without specifically referencing the Turner case, Persky indicated that he did follow sentencing guidelines. "As a prosecutor, I fought vigorously for victims," the statement read. "As a judge, my role is to consider both sides. California law requires every judge to consider rehabilitation and probation for first-time offenders. Its not always popular, but its the law, and I took an oath to follow it without regard to public opinion or my opinions as a former prosecutor." If voters oust Persky, he will only be the third judge in California to be recalled since it became an option in the early 1900s. In December, Turner filed an appeal. In the 172-page appeal filed in Mill Valley, Turner's legal team said the initial trial was "a detailed and lengthy set of lies" and asked for a new trial. Turner's team is also looking to overturn the convictions against him, which mandate he register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. NBC Bay Area's Robert Handa and The Associated Press contributed to this report. San Jose police announced a new online portal system Wednesday that will allow the public to search and examine use of force data. According to San Jose police Chief Eddie Garcia, San Jose is the largest city in the nation that uses this system and one of just two that will provide the information to the public. The system, in partnership with Police Strategies, LLC, allows residents to search through multiple dashboards with 150 different filters, according to police Lt. Gina Tibaldi. SJPD sent its police reports from 2015 to 2017 to Police Strategies, LLC before launching the website. The department continues to submit reports, but there is a little bit of a lag, meaning cases from October 2017 to December 2017 will probably show up in February, Tibaldi said. The portal was designed to be user friendly for those who don't consider themselves tech savvy, so it is possible to search for many different cases by division, district, beat and more. Tibaldi displayed the features at a news conference Wednesday. Tibaldi said users could tailor the tool for themselves by looking up the area they live in and what kind of crime is happening there. "It can help people separate fact from fiction," she said. San Jose police are pleased with the data that came out of submitting their reports, with one of the highlights being that racial disparity is "virtually nonexistent" in San Jose when considering frequency and level of force, according to Garcia. Garcia also confirmed that complaints about use of force went down in 2017 in comparison to 2016, which is a relief to the whole department. "We are not a department in crisis, nor do we have systemic cultural issues surrounding our use of force," Garcia said. The chief talked about how the new system will promote transparency in how crime is handled in the community and will continue the conversation about it. He said residents deserved better than one annual report each year, and now they have it. Though the department is practicing some of the best practices in the nation for use of force at this time, it doesn't mean the force will settle there, Garcia said. He wants to continue to keep the numbers down. "This organization just wants to maintain the lead to a game that will never end," said Garcia. Wednesday's announcement comes on the heels of an officer-involved shooting, in which a man allegedly armed with an ax and pipe was fatally shot by officers Tuesday evening at the Metcalf Energy Center in South San Jose. The man refused officers' commands to stand down and also charged at the officers, according to police. Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner emerged from the Illinois Veterans' Home in Quincy Wednesday after a weeklong stay. His visit was spurred by the controversy an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease at that facility, taking center stage just weeks before the March primary election. Rauner, feeling the heat from lawmakers and the public about the state's response to the deaths of 13 residents of the Quincy facility since 2015, moved into the home last week. He lived in one of the rooms like the veterans - drinking the water, showering, eating the food and more. While critics called it a publicity stunt, Rauner emerged from the home committed to making major changes. The state plans on "building a major new home, brand new building here that has the latest technology," Rauner said at a news conference Wednesday. Facing a tough reelection battle, Rauner is mired in the controversy less than 10 weeks ahead of the primary election in which he faces a challenge from the right. How the state handled the disease outbreak in Quincy is the subject of a House and Senate investigation, and has become an issue that Democrats running for governor are pouncing on as well. "When we're causing death because of government inaction, that's real," Democratic candidate Chris Kennedy said at a news conference Wednesday, as his back-and-forth with Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel continued. "But that occurs at different levels of government," he added. "When you have a record number of shootings. when the city of Chicago has more killings than LA and New York combined, it's just another sign of government failure." Kennedy unveiled his economic plan Wednesday, days after blaming Emanuel for driving African-Americans out of the city. The mayor pushed back, but a week later, Kennedy said he stands by his criticism. "If you're not willing to stand up to another politician, you'll never stand up for the people of our state," Kennedy said. Emanuel's spokesman said it was Kennedy who asked for an endorsement months ago - a claim the candidate vehemently denied. Former first lady Michelle Obama is scheduled to visit Indianapolis for an event hosted by the Women's Fund of Central Indiana. "A Moderated Conversation with Former First Lady Michelle Obama" is planned for Feb. 13 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Women's Fund distributed 500 free tickets to women and girls who otherwise would not have been able to attend. The event is to be moderated by Alecia DeCoudreaux, a founding board member of Women's Fund and a former president of Mills College. The Women's Fund is a special interest fund of Central Indiana Community Foundation. The fund seeks to create options and opportunities for women and girls in central Indiana. The largest teachers union, the Illinois Education Association, is endorsing Democrat J.B. Pritzker for governor. The 135,000 members of the IEA represent the state's largest education employee's organization. IEA President Kathi Griffin noted: "It was Pritzker's strong commitment to funding K-12 education, his promise to invest in higher education, his pledge to protect collective bargaining rights," as well as his support for a progressive income tax that lead to the endorsement. Pritzker said he is pleased to have received this endorsement. "Every child in Illinois deserves a quality education, no matter their zip code," he said. All candidates, Democrats and Republicans, were invited to complete a questionnaire as well as in-person interviews. Republican candidates State Rep. Jeanne Ives and incumbent Gov. Bruce Rauner did not participate in the IEA endorsement process. More than 1,600 Puerto Rican families displaced after Hurricane Maria are living in Connecticut. There is now a new push for state lawmakers to help them. Archie Santiago Rivera has been living in a hotel in Connecticut. He left Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, but now its not clear how long he can stay. "FEMA said, 'Come to the U.S.- in this case, come to Connecticut. Well pay for your hotel in Connecticut, and well work on your case'," Hartford City Council member, Wildaliz Bermudez, said. "Some of those cases are closed. So if their case is closed, as of January 14, these people will be displaced. Theyre going to be homeless." State Rep. Angel Arce is calling on the federal government for help. "Puerto Rico is an American territory and we deserve the same treatment as Texas, Florida, and any other state," Arce said. House Majority Leader Matt Ritter said its time to start streamlining services. "Getting representatives from the department of social services, the DMV, the department of housing," Ritter said. "They get a lot of questions on a daily basis. Its good to put everybody in a room on a weekly or bi-weekly basis to make sure everybody is following the same procedures." A University of California, San Diego senior faces deportation after his roommate made a wrong turn at the U.S.-Mexico border crossing south of San Diego. Orr Yakobi, 22, is an Israeli citizen who is in the U.S. under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status. The immigration program allows those who entered the U.S. as minors to stay in the U.S. with some restrictions including traveling outside of the country. Yakobi and his friend, Ryan Hakim, were shopping at an outlet mall in San Ysidro Sunday when the pair got on southbound Interstate 5 instead of northbound Interstate 805. "Once we got onto the ramp, we couldn't turn around. We couldn't pull over," Ryan Hakim said. "We were forced into Mexico." Hakim was behind the wheel and said they had no intention of crossing the border. "We're freaking out about his documentation. How is he going to get back in? How are we going to get back in," Hakim said. When the men attempted to return to the U.S, officials with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection stopped the vehicle and checked Yakobi's documentation. Under the DACA program, he is permitted to stay in the U.S., but cannot leave the country. As a result, Yakobi was detained at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. Now he's in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement-- detained in Otay Mesa and facing deportation. "Its very political. Depending on what the mood of the government is right now, what ICE is willing to do, Immigration Attorney Jacob Sapichnick said. His attorney is negotiating his release and getting support from state and federal lawmakers, among others. It is unbelievable. In 24 hours we've got Todd Gloria, we've got Scott Peters, we got people from other states," Sapochnick said. Yakobi, a math and computer science major, was well on his way down the road to success. He was just two classes from graduating and already working as a freelance programmer. Yakobi was brought to the U.S. by his parents when he was 5 years old. Yakobi is in good spirits and remains hopeful. Meanwhile, his classmates are garnishing support on campus from students, faculty and administration. "I want to see Orr back at home. We all just want to give him a big hug," Hakin said. "We want to see him do what he wanted to do with his career. I want to see him achieve his dreams." Yakobi 's DACA status expires in March. The student was detained because he didn't have a travel permit to leave the country. His attorney is hoping to bond him out of detention so he might finish school while the case makes its way through the courts. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge William Alsup granted a request by California and other plaintiffs to prevent Trump from ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program while their lawsuits play out in court. President Donald Trump says the U.S. court system is -- in his words -- "broken and unfair." North Texans are bracing for a decision on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Act (DACA) and the impact it could have on families across the state. A federal judge halted a plan from President Donald Trump's administration to end the program that allows immigrants who were brought to the United States illegally as youth to stay and work. The ruling says the administration must renew protections for so-called "dreamers" until the lawsuits can play out in court. Employers around North Texas are keeping close watch on the courts, especially school districts that would lose teachers who are here under DACA. Luis Juarez, a fifth grade teacher at Lipscomb Elementary School, has been watching DACA decisions, which have been nothing short of nerve-racking. "You wake up with it. You go to sleep with it. It's very present in your mind," he said. "I have nothing to go back to. My life is here. My family is here. My career is here." In the Dallas Independent School District, there are 68 DACA employees, including 36 teachers. The Fort Worth Independent School District has 76 DACA employees, including 27 teachers. "The only preparation that we can have is to have substitute teachers, which would not be ideal," Dallas ISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa said. What teacher shortages around the nation, it could become a nightmare situation. "It was even more catastrophic for us, because many of these are bilingual teachers and that's the biggest shortage area," Hinojosa said. "People don't realize that we have 44 percent of our students as English learners." "If we would have lost them in the middle of the year, it would have had a traumatic impact on our school system," Hinojosa said. Hinojosa said the recent court ruling offers some help and "wiggle room." "The actual ruling by the judge helps us, because it defers it until there is a resolution of that lawsuit. So we can at least get through the entire academic year and it won't create chaos in our classrooms," he said. "The ruling, it's a spark of light," Juarez added. "You have to put on your brave face for your kids." Dallas ISD is working provide resources for teachers and students' families affected by DACA. Firefighters with Dallas Fire-Rescue recovered an electrocuted man whose body was suspended from scaffolding in Deep Ellum Wednesday afternoon. The man was apparently working on the exterior of The Lizard Lounge when he or the scaffolding came in contact with nearby power lines. The jolt caused the man to fall, but his clothing got caught on the scaffolding and his body hung suspended two stories over Swiss Avenue. Dozens of first responders surrounded the scene, on the roof of the building and on the ground, but none were able to touch the man until crews from Oncor Electric arrived and cut power to the lines. When the power off, and after the Dallas County Medical Examiner confirmed the man's death, DFR firefighters began the task of hoisting the man's body from the scaffolding. The man's identity and the nature of the work he was doing have not been confirmed. Oncor released the following statement Wednesday afternoon: "We at Oncor are heartbroken to hear of the tragic incident involving a private construction worker this afternoon on Swiss Avenue in Dallas. Oncor has crews on scene and we are working with first responders to determine the cause. We were notified shortly after 1 oclock this afternoon that a private construction worker had made contact with a power line just outside of a business. Oncor crews were on site shortly thereafter to de-energize the line and assist first responders. While Oncor equipment is safe, its important to always use caution while working around electricity. Our thoughts and prayers are with this workers family, friends and all those affected by this tragedy." Traffic along Swiss Avenue, between Central Expressway and Hawkins Street was diverted while the recovery was underway. While they couldn't confirm if it was related, DART said the nearby Pearl Street station temporarily lost power Wednesday afternoon. Power has been restored at the station but riders should expect delays. After a Louisiana school teacher's arrest at a public school board meeting went viral, Deyshia Hargrave is back teaching and hopes her experience sends a message to her fellow educators. "I'm hoping for teachers, people outside of education, to have a voice," the middle school English teacher said Thursday on the "Today" show. "Show up. You don't have to say anything. Just show up. Just do something." Hargrave's arrest came Monday at a public school board meeting, where the board approved by a 53 vote a $30,000 salary increase for Superintendent Jerome Puyau. Teachers, meanwhile, haven't received a salary increase in about decade. Hargrave was asked by a board member to comment on the vote, according to video taken of the meeting by a local reporter, and she asked Puyau, "How are you going to take that money, because it's basically taken out of the pockets of teachers?" The school board president then banged his gavel and said her question was irrelevant. The crowd became agitated and Hargrave was asked to leave the meeting by a school resource officer hired by the board, The Associated Press reported. Video showed Hargrave on the hallway floor being handcuffed, though it did not capture the moments just before her arrest. The officer arrested her for "remaining after being forbidden" and resisting an officer, according to the AP. She bonded out of jail, and the city said she won't be prosecuted. Now, Puyua agrees with Hargrave that teachers deserve more money, but he wonders why she questioned his salary increase. We "can always use more money in the classroom," he told "Today." "But, when is a good time for a superintendent to get a raise?" "I don't support our people getting arrested," Puyau added. "However, a person has to follow the rules." In an interview with CBS, Puyau took responsibility for the incident, saying, "I'm the superintendent, I'm to blame." When asked what he did wrong, Puyau told CBS, "I should have stood up, OK? That's what you want to hear, and it's the truth. I should have stood up [and said,] 'Let her speak.'" Since the video was posted online, where it has drawn more than a million views, Puyau told "Today" he and his family have received death threats. School system offices even went on temporary lockdown. "More people were hurt. It is not fair to our family," he said emotionally. Hargrave said she has only seen the video of her arrest twice because it's "too disturbing" to watch. "It's sad that a woman has to be forcibly, violently removed from a board meeting for people to start caring," she said on "Today" of the response to the video. She added that she felt uneasy "with the realization that my students were gonna see the video and I had to go to work the next day." "I wasn't sure how they were gonna feel about it," she said. However, Hargrave added, "They're fine, so I'm fine." Hargrave said she would like an apology from Puyau and the officer who arrested her. And the Louisiana Association of Educators and Vermilion Association of Educators hosted a local rally Thursday afternoon in support of Hargrave, who was expected to speak at the event. About 100 people gathered in a light rain Thursday to rally to support Hargrave. "I hope and pray my experience will empower you my students, young women everywhere to know that you have a voice," Hargrave told the crowd. "Use it. Many, many women suffered tremendously and sacrificed greatly for us to have this voice. ... And this is for the boys, too. You matter." She was backed by fellow teachers wearing black T-shirts that read: "#standbydeyshia." Signs held by members of the crowd included one reading, "We will not be silenced." Vermont is poised to become the first state in the country to approve the recreational use of marijuana by an act of the Legislature rather than through a citizen referendum. The state Senate approved the legislation Wednesday by voice vote. Republican Gov. Phil Scott has indicated he will sign the bill, which was approved by the House last week. It's unclear when that signing will take place. The bill would allow adults over 21 to possess of up to one ounce of marijuana and have two mature marijuana plants or four immature plants. The legislation does not contain a mechanism to regulate the production and sale of marijuana, as has been done in some other states. Some backers of the proposal call it a baby step and say they hope the Legislature will pass a tax-and-regulation system. Scott vetoed a marijuana legalization bill last May, but indicated he only did so because of the bill's timing. Fifty-seven percent of Vermont voters support legal marijuana for adults, according to a March 2017 Public Policy Polling survey. Once the bill is signed, Vermont will become the ninth state to legalize recreational marijuana for adults, following its New England neighbors in Massachusetts and Maine. "Vermonters should be proud that their state is becoming the first to do this legislatively, rather than by ballot initiative," said Matt Simon, New England political director for the Marijuana Policy Project. Legislatures in Connecticut, New Hampshire and Rhode Island are also considering bills that would make marijuana legal for adults this year; New Hampshire's House approved a bill on Tuesday. The Vermont Senate's vote comes amid growing concerns over the future of legal weed after U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions rescinded an Obama-era Justice Department memo that allowed the legal marijuana industry to flourish in states that had approved it. "Now that yet another state has rejected marijuana prohibition, there is even more pressure for Congress to take action to prevent any federal interference from Attorney General Jeff Sessions," said Matthew Schweich, interim executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project. "It's time for the federal government to respect the authority of states to determine their own marijuana practices." A FREE DAY... in a California State Park, one that's redwoods-y in theme, feel, scent, and vibe? It sounds like a marvelous vision straight from a nature lover's daydream. But sometimes daydreams find solid footing, and adventurers can enter gorgeous treeful spaces without paying an entry fee. And "sometimes" is now, as in 2018, for a partnership between the Save the Redwoods League and California State Parks, with funding by Oracle, is set to help a whole lot of people spend a happy second Saturday among the giants. Yes, we did type... "SECOND SATURDAY"... right there, for the situation is this: "(M)ore than 16,000 free vehicle day-use passes will be available in 2018 for more than 40 redwood state parks," with over 200 passes still available, as of Jan. 9, for Saturday, Jan. 13. Yes, that's the first second Saturday of the year, as in second Saturday of the month, and all second Saturdays of all months in the year ahead will be part of the program. How to sign up for your free pass? Begin here. Are there important tips and suggestions and must-knows, like visiting in off-hours and when new passes become available for the next second Saturday? Oh, you got it, and there all on this FAQ. WHAT PARKS ARE PARTICIPATING? Humboldt Lagoons State Park, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, Mendocino Headlands State Park, and a few dozen more. Will your favorite park be on the list? Does a redwood have burls? (Yes, it does.) If this all feels familiar to you, and yet fresh and exciting, that's understandable, for the day after Thanksgiving has been a free day in the redwoods state parks for a few years now. But the whole second-Saturday set-up is a new venture, one that's sure to bring thousands of new visitors into the free-loving, forest-loving fold. Details on everything, parks, dates, and how to use your pass, should/when you get one? Here, burl buffs, right here. A federal judge on Tuesday night temporarily blocked the Trump administration's decision to end a program protecting young immigrants from deportation. U.S. District Judge William Alsup granted a request by California and other plaintiffs to prevent President Donald Trump from ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program while their lawsuits play out in court. Alsup said lawyers in favor of DACA clearly demonstrated that the young immigrants "were likely to suffer serious, irreparable harm" without court action. The judge also said the lawyers have a strong chance of succeeding at trial. DACA has protected about 800,000 people who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children or came with families who overstayed visas. The program includes hundreds of thousands of college-age students. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced in September that the program would be phased out, saying former President Barack Obama had exceeded his authority when he implemented it in 2012. Trump tweeted the ruling was evidence that the justice system is "broken and unfair" and the White House called the ruling "outrageous" in a statement released Wednesday, which noted that Trump was working with members of Congress from both parties on a DACA fix. "An issue of this magnitude must go through the normal legislative process," press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said. On Tuesday, the Department of Justice said the judge's decision doesn't change the fact that the program was an illegal circumvention of Congress, and it is within the agency's power to end it. "The Justice Department will continue to vigorously defend this position, and looks forward to vindicating its position in further litigation," department spokesman Devin O'Malley said in a statement. Sessions' move to phase pout DACA sparked a flurry of lawsuits nationwide. Alsup considered five separate lawsuits filed in Northern California, including one by the California and three other states, and another by the governing board of the University of California school system. "DACA covers a class of immigrants whose presence, seemingly all agree, pose the least, if any, threat and allows them to sign up for honest labor on the condition of continued good behavior," Alsup wrote in his decision. "This has become an important program for DACA recipients and their families, for the employers who hire them, for our tax treasuries, and for our economy." That echoed the judge's comments from a court hearing on Dec. 20, when he grilled an attorney for the Department of Justice over the government's justification for ending DACA, saying many people had come to rely on it and faced a "real" and "palpable" hardship from its loss. Alsup also questioned whether the administration had conducted a thorough review before ending the program. Brad Rosenberg, a Justice Department attorney, said the administration considered the effects of ending DACA and decided to phase it out over time instead of cutting it immediately. DACA recipients will be allowed to stay in the U.S. for the remainder of their two-year authorizations. Any recipient whose status was due to expire within six months also got a month to apply for another two-year term. The Justice Department said in court documents that DACA was facing the possibility of an abrupt end by court order, but Alsup was critical of that argument. People took out loans, enrolled in school and even made decisions about whether to get married and start families on the basis of DACA and now face "horrific" consequences from the loss of the program, said Jeffrey Davidson, an attorney for the University of California governing board. "The government considered none of this at all when they decided to rescind DACA," he said at the hearing. DACA recipients are commonly referred to as "dreamers," based on never-passed proposals in Congress called the DREAM Act that would have provided similar protections for young immigrants. "Dreamers lives were thrown into chaos when the Trump Administration tried to terminate the DACA program without obeying the law," California Attorney General Becerra said in a statement after Tuesday's decision. "Tonight's ruling is a huge step in the right direction." President Donald Trump referred to a group of nations that included African countries and Haiti as "s--thole countries" during a meeting with a bipartisan group of senators Thursday at the White House, a Democratic aide briefed on the meeting told NBC News. Trump's comments were first reported by the Washington Post, which said the group of nations referenced also included El Salvador. The comments came as senators huddled in the Oval Office with the president to discuss the path forward on an immigration deal. Trump questioned why the United States would want people from nations such as Haiti, while being briefed on changes to the visa lottery system. When the group discussed immigration from Africa, the aide said, Trump asked why we want all these people from "all these s--thole countries" and that the U.S. should have more people from places like Norway. A spokesman for the White House did not deny the president's use of the vulgar word. Hours later, Trump said on Twitter Friday morning that, "the language used by me at the DACA meeting was tough, but this was not the language used. What was really tough was the outlandish proposal made - a big setback for DACA!" What to Know Some luggage from Air China flights to JFK Airport have popped up inside a ballroom at a nearby hotel, a worker tells NBC 4 New York It comes two days after images obtained to News 4 show hundreds of bags sitting in the snow under a ramp at the airport The Port Authority says former Obama transportation secretary Ray LaHood will lead an investigation into the airport meltdown Some luggage left behind in the meltdown at John F. Kennedy International Airport following last week's winter storm are being housed at a nearby hotel, a hotel worker told NBC 4 New York. New video shows the bags being stored inside a ballroom at the Hilton New York JFK Airport and a hotel worker said they were from Air China and arrived Wednesday morning. The airline, which had about 400 bags that had not returned to passengers on Thursday, hasn't responded to requests for comment. At the height of the JFK baggage disaster, tens of thousands of bags had been separated from their owners, according to two sources familiar with the situation. The number had dwindled to 5,000 by Wednesday afternoon, but dozens of frustrated travelers were continuing to contact News 4 Thursday about their missing luggage. The station reported exclusively that there were dozens -- possibly hundreds -- of bags still piled underneath a terminal ramp Tuesday, alongside the snow. "They keep telling me, 'We found your bag,' when they clearly did not," said NYU student Michelle Tsai, who's been unable to study for her math final without the textbooks lost in her luggage. "I've never lost a bag that took more than an hour. Usually, it's, 'It got on the truck, we're going to bring it over,'" she said. "It's never been, 'It's lost into the ether.'" Loading... "Today is Thursday, and I still do not have my luggage," said Deborah Serri, estimating she spent four hours on hold with Delta this week. Delta had said Wednesday that it is "delivering bags to customers and expects to return its baggage operation to normal levels [Wednesday night]." Other Delta passengers are baffled by the airline's online messages supposedly tracking the luggage. One flier got a message from Delta with a timeline showing the bag had been checked on Jan. 6, then listed as expedited for return on Jan. 8, 9 and 11. It still wasn't back by Thursday. Delta hasn't responded to News 4's questions as to why so many people are still waiting for bags. Workers at a delivery company called BEX, which is contracted by Delta to return luggage, did not want to speak to News 4 when reporters showed up at the Queens location Wednesday and found hundreds of suitcases sitting in the yard. Joshua Carlani, part of a group from the College of New Jersey delivering supplies to children in Ghana, is still awaiting the supplies, donated by organizations. "Everything went wrong that possibly could," he told News 4 from overseas. The terminals at JFK have made progress in clearing out the luggage from the airport, at least: by Thursday evening Terminal 1 had just over 260 bags (mostly from Air China, some from Turkish Air), compared to its height of 1,000. And at Terminal 4, all 4,000 bags had been processed and removed. JetBlue, which operates out of Terminal 5 at JFK, says it wasn't impacted to the same degree as other terminals; there were about 100 bags being held for pickup or delivery on Wednesday, and another 60 from international partner carriers at JFK. The Port Authority of New York/New Jersey, which oversees operations at all three area airports, said in a statement Wednesday afternoon that it "shared the public's outrage and has directed the airlines to have all bags out of JFK and on their way to customers by day's end." "This unacceptable delay has inconvenienced too many travelers and we continue to work with the airlines to aggressively address the situation and provide assistance as needed," the Port Authority added. The agency later announced it had tapped former Obama transportation secretary Ray LaHood to lead an investigation into how it the fiasco happened at JFK, and what can be done to prevent it from happening again. That investigation will begin next week; however, the findings could be months away. The airport debacle started Thursday, when a powerful winter storm hit New York amid unusually cold weather and forced the airport to close for the day. When it reopened on Friday, some terminal gates got tied up and led to a backlog of international flights trying to get in and out. Temperatures in the low teens also impacted equipment. Then a water main burst and flooded a Terminal 4 on Sunday. Amid the chaos, thousands of pieces of luggage got separated from their owners. Are you in the tri-state area and still missing luggage from JFK? Please fill out the lost luggage survey in this article (above) and contact us at tips@nbcnewyork.com. What to Know A van full of MS-13 members and associates were about to abduct a 16-year-old boy in Brentwood when detectives stopped them, police say Five people who were allegedly in the van face federal charges; four of them are Brentwood High School students They allegedly planned to kill the boy to elevate their status in the gang A grand jury indicted 17 alleged members and associates of the notoriously violent MS-13 gang on charges related to the machete killing of a 13-year-old boy, other murders and drug trafficking following a seven-month investigation that spanned several states, officials announced Thursday. Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas said the county and the federal Drug Enforcement Agency started the investigation into the gang's activities in May, identifying activities that stretched from New York to New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia and Texas. It started with a focus on narcotics trafficking but expanded to encompass murder and other acts of violence, including the killing of a 15-year-old Long Island boy, and focused on the "Hollywood" and "Sailors" cliques, or cells, of MS-13 on Long Island. Officials said the Long Island clique leaders answered to leaders in El Salvador, and sent them proceeds from criminal activity. "This massive multi-agency investigation laid bare the global size, complexity and brutality of MS-13, and these indictments strike a heavy blow to the gang's operations on Long Island," Singas said. "These alleged gang members have terrorized vulnerable immigrant communities (and) trafficked deadly heroin into our neighborhoods." Federal prosecutors believe MS-13, or the Mara Salvatrucha, has thousands of members across the U.S., mostly Central American immigrants. The gang, believed to be behind 25 killings on Long Island in the past two years, has become a prime target of President Donald Trump, with both the Republican president Donald Trump and U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions coming to Long Island to speak on efforts to fight it. The gang originated in Los Angeles in the 1980s, though it's now led from Central America. The indictment includes the murder of Angel Soler, who was 15 when he disappeared in July. His body was discovered in mid-October in a wooded lot in the hamlet of Roosevelt. Soler's remains were one of three sets found close to each other over the course of nine days. Authorities have said Soler was attacked by a group of people and hacked to death with a machete, and a 26-year-old man was charged in November with his murder. The criminal complaint in that case said the suspect acted with others who had not yet been arrested. The 21-count indictment announced Thursday names another alleged MS-13 member as a suspect in Soler's death. "MS-13 gangs mission is to control our towns through brutal violence, but today we took that control away from them," said DEA Special Agent in Charge James Hunt. Not only did we arrest the highest level MS-13 leader in the Northeast who reports to MS-13 in El Salvador, but we sent a message that we will continue to investigate their violent crimes and bring justice to their victims." The 17 defendants face up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted on the top charges, prosecutors said. Officials said the investigation also helped thwart three murders that were being planned in New York, New Jersey and Maryland. Investigators also passed on information that led to arrests of individuals in Maryland suspected of being gang members in connection to murders in that state What to Know Walmart is closing Sam's Club locations across the country, including in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut Thousands of employees will be laid off in the wake of the closures Walmart confirmed the closures on the same day it announced it's boosting its starting salary for U.S. workers and handing out bonuses Sams Club stores in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut are among dozens closing across the country in the coming weeks, reports say. The closure of the stores will lead to the laying off of thousands of employees, according to Business Insider, which reported several stores closed abruptly Thursday and some employees only learned when they arrived for work. These 8 Grocery Stores Have Some of the Best Prices in America, Study Says A Walmart official told Business Insider that ten of the affected stores nationwide will be turned into ecommerce distribution centers and that employees from those stores can apply to positions at the ecommerce locations. The remaining stores will close permanently over the next several weeks. America's 20 Favorite Grocery Stores Have Been Revealed Sams Club posted a statement about the closures on Twitter: "After a thorough review of our existing portfolio, weve decided to close a series of clubs and better align our locations with our strategy. Closing clubs is never easy and were committed to working with impacted members and associates through this transition." The location in Linden was among those that closed abruptly Thursday. The Union County Freeholder Board said it was offering assistance to any Union County resident among the estimated 200 full-time and part-time employees laid off by the sudden closure. More information available here. In a joint statement, Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados and Freeholder Christopher Hudak, a resident of Linden, said: "We would like these former employees to know that the County stands prepared to immediately assist with employment services through our various agencies, and we urge all to take advantage of them." Also on Thursday, Walmart -- the world's largest private employer -- announced it is boosting its starting salary for U.S. workers to $11 an hour, handing out one-time cash bonuses to those who don't benefit from the pay hike and expanding its maternity and parental leave benefits. Grocery Stores Opening in New York City and New Jersey Below are the stores known to be closing in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. You can check to see if your local store is still listed here at www.samsclub.com/locator. 69 Pavilions Dr, Manchester, CT 06042 2 Boston Post Rd, Orange, CT 06477 81 International Dr S, Budd Lake, NJ 07828 1900 E Linden Ave, Linden, NJ 07036 301 Nassau Park Boulevard, Princeton, NJ 08540 2649 Erie Blvd E, Syracuse, NY 13224 720 Fairmount Ave, Jamestown, NY 14701 700 Elmridge Center Dr, Rochester, NY 14626 1600 Marketplace Dr, Rochester, NY 14623 What to Know Akayed Ullah is accused of trying to bomb the subway system on Dec. 11; he was the only person seriously injured Federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment Wednesday, less than a month after the bombing Ullah faces charges related to terrorism and using a weapon of mass destruction The Bangladeshi immigrant accused of setting off a pipe bomb in a Manhattan subway tunnel last month has been indicted on federal terrorism charges, prosecutors announced Wednesday. Akayed Ullah, 27, is accused of detonating a pipe bomb that was strapped to his body in a pedestrian tunnel linking two busy Times Square subway stations during the morning rush. He was the only person seriously injured. In selecting this time and place, Ullahs alleged purpose in the Port Authority bombing was painfully clear: to inflict as much damage as possible, and to strike fear into the hearts of New Yorkers in the name of ISIS, Acting Assistant Attorney General Boente said in announcing the indictment. The six-count indictment against Ullah charges him with one count each of: providing and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State group; using and attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction; bombing and attempting to bomb a place of public use; destruction and attempted destruction of property by means of fire or explosives; conducting and attempting to conduct a terrorist attack against a mass transportation system, and using a destructive device during and in furtherance of a crime of violence. Ullah was expected to face a judge in court Thursday to answer to the indictment. He has been housed at the Metropolitan Correctional Facility in Lower Manhattan since he was moved from Bellevue Hospital last month. Ullah made his first court appearance from his hospital bed in December: he could be seen on video laying on a hospital bed with his head propped up on a pillow and his body covered up to his neck in sheets. Two assistant public defenders, who stood beside his hospital bed, did not request bail. Ullah didn't enter a plea at the time but answered a few of the judge's questions, including answering "I can see you" when she asked if he could hear her and "yes I do" when he was asked if he understood his rights. Prosecutors said that after his capture he told interrogators he was on a mission to punish the U.S. for attacking the Islamic State. What to Know Ydanis Rodriguez and Jumaane Williams were both arrested during a protest for Ravi Ragbir on Thursday Ragbir is an outspoken immigrants rights activist who protesters said was detained by immigration agents earlier in the morning Hundreds of protesters were at the scene following an ambulance where they said Ragbir was being held Two New York City councilmen were among the 18 people arrested at a demonstration for an immigrant rights leader detained by federal authorities. Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez said in a tweet that he and fellow Democrat Jumaane Williams were cuffed Thursday during the protest after Ravi Ragbir was taken into custody by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Manhattan. "Arrested with Councilman @JumaaneWilliams and more than 10 people for fighting for Ravi and all undocumented brothers and sisters," Rodriguez said in a tweet. Arrested with Councilman @JumaaneWilliams and more than 10 people for fighting for Ravi and all undocumented brothers and sisters. #ImmigrationReform NOW @NewSanctuaryNYC @NYCCouncil pic.twitter.com/rG75QRXAil Ydanis Rodriguez (@ydanis) January 11, 2018 Williams, in a Facebook post Thursday added " Today, after more than two decades of living in this country, he was detained by ICE and removed in an ambulance. I was arrested while protesting his detention, alongside Ydanis Rodriguez and several of Ravi's supporters. We need your voices to declare that #IStandWithRavi." It's not clear what charges Rodriguez, Williams or the 16 protesters arrested faced. Images posted to Twitter during the demonstration showed the two councilmen and a handful of other protesters with plastic handcuffs at the scene. The New Sanctuary Coalition of New York City, the organization that staged the protest, said hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the Jacob Javits Federal Building and followed an FDNY ambulance they said housed the Ragbir. According to the group, Ragbir has lived under threat of deportation for more than a decade after a conviction for wire fraud 16 years ago and was in immigration detention for 22 months. When he was released, the New York resident became an outspoken activist for immigrants in the country. Ravi Ragbir means everything to this city," said Kaji Dousa, the organizations co-chair. "A longtime New Yorker, a husband and a father, Ravi is beloved by all of us who have had the privilege of working with him to make New York a welcoming community for all of its residents. The fact that ICE has taken him as if his spirit, family ties, and contributions to the community mean nothing is inhumane. More than two decades since charter schools were authorized in Pennsylvania, their effect on public education across the state remains inconsequential to improving student performance, and costly to local districts, a new report found. "A greater share of traditional public school students met grade level expectations" than their charter school counterparts on 2016 state tests, the Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY) said in the report released Thursday. The non-profit also described charter school costs for local school districts that "keep rising" in the form of "stranded costs," which is the money it takes to continue to support traditional schools that have less children. More than 130,000 Pennsylvania students now attend charter schools. Some 60,000 of those students live in Philadelphia. "If 28 children are in a classroom and two leave to attend a charter school, the district does not close a classroom," the report said. "It spends the same amount on space for the remaining students, the teachers salary, benefits and pension costs, etc." It is the newest collection of data in a long-running debate between school choice advocates who have successfully pushed for expansion of charters in districts across the state and supporters of traditional public education. In Philadelphia, charter schools have been the most polarizing educational issue of the last two decades. Charter accountability and expansion will remain at the top of the debate among city leaders when a school board is appointed in the next couple months to replace the deposed School Reform Commission. The PCCY report goes on to call for state oversight that imposes stronger fiscal management and transparency of charter schools and a framework for increasing test scores of charter students. "Regardless of performance, charter costs keep rising for school districts and taxpayers," the report said. "Adopting potent legislation that rewards high quality schools with an expedited renewal process and closes poor performers would encourage schools to strive for excellence." To read the entire report titled "Expanding High Quality Charter School Options: Strong Charter School Legislation Matters," here is a direct link. A seemingly fit 21-year-old man is among the 18 people who have died from influenza complications in Pennsylvania during the current flu season. The family of Kyler Baughman of Latrobe, Pennsylvania told NBC10 affiliate WPXI he was always into physical fitness and was going to school to be a personal trainer. When Baughman came home to visit during the holidays however, he appeared to be sick. After celebrating with his family on Christmas, he returned to work on December 26 but went home early after not feeling well. Baughmans fiancee told WPXI he was coughing and complaining of mild chest pain. Baughmans condition grew worse the next day and he began running a fever on and off. He was taken to a Westmoreland County emergency room and then flown to UPMC Presbyterian in Pittsburgh. Less than a day later, on December 28, Baughman was pronounced dead. His family said he died from organ failure due to septic shock caused by influenza. They also said he never got a flu shot. I just think he ignored it and thought itd go away like most people, and I think people need to pay more attention to their bodies, Baughmans mother told WPXI. So far this season, 18 flu deaths have been reported in Pennsylvania. Baughman is the only victim between the ages of 19 and 49. One person under the age of 18 also died from the flu. The rest of the Pennsylvania victims are over the age of 50. While the young, the sick and the elderly are most at risk during the flu season, doctors warn that young, healthy people arent immune. For young people, think of it in the perspective of college-age kids in a dorm situation, in close contact, with many other people, Dr. Robyn Baron, medical director of Temple University Health Systems Readycare division told NBC10. In that situation, that predisposes them to something contagious like influenza. While the flu season is in full swing, its not too late to get a flu shot. Immunizations are usually (available) up to March 30, Dr. Baron said. Those people at risk, they definitely want to immunize. To learn more about the flu and ways to stay healthy, visit the Pennsylvania Department of Health website. A more than 13-hour standoff that caused officials to close 14 schools in Gloucester Township, leaving thousands of children out of class, ended Thursday morning the 24-year-old suspect dead. Police responded to reports of shots fired from a townhouse near Hampshire and Yorkshire roads in the Brittany Woods neighborhood of Sicklerville around 8 Wednesday night and the incident turned into a barricade situation. "It's been a rough night," mother Nicole Bea said after hearing nearly one dozen gunshots. Gloucester Township Police Chief Harry Earle said an armored rescue vehicle with officers inside was struck numerous times with bullets from an assault rifle. Police later showed off the armored vehicle with bullet holes in it. NBC10 "No shots were fired by police," Earle said. Police continued to be in contact with the suspect over the phone Thursday morning until he stopped answering the phone prompting them to enter the home, investigators said. Heavy machinery and robots were used to breach the home, police said. SWAT officers could then be seen going into the home. Police found the suspect dead. Police found a handgun and assault rifle in the home. A woman, who was unharmed, was found in the home and taken in for questioning, Earle said. Authorities evacuated about 18 nearby residents and told others to shelter in place over a three square-block radius. Some residents, unable to get home, rode out the situation inside their cars. Around 9:30 a.m., police said residents could "resume normal activities." Nearby Timber Creek Regional High School was used as a staging scene. Gloucester Township Public Schools closed all 11 of its elementary and middle schools and the Black Horse Pike Regional School District closed its three high schools Highland, Timber Creek and Triton regional high schools Thursday morning. A tense standoff in Sicklerville, New Jersey ended Thursday morning with a man in custody. Gloucester Township police say residents can resume their normal days. UPDATE: Herbert Christian Dallas Randall has been found safe, police say. A 14-year-old boy has gone missing in Potomac, Maryland, Wednesday night, police say. Herbert Christian Dallas Randall, of Morning Ride Drive, was last seen when he walked out of his home about 6 p.m., his family told police. His family and friends haven't had contact with him since then. Randall is described as a white boy, approximately 5 feet 7 inches and 120 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a black jacket and blue jeans. Police and family are concerned for Randalls physical and emotional welfare. Anyone who knows where he is should call the Montgomery County Police Departments non-emergency number at 301-279-8000. Workers and managers at 7-Eleven stores in D.C. and Maryland were questioned by immigration agents on Wednesday in what officials described as the largest operation against an employer under Donald Trump's presidency. Three 7-Elevens in D.C. and seven in Maryland were among the 98 franchise locations where U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) served audit notices, the agency confirmed Thursday. ICE said the Maryland locations are in: Baltimore; Frederick; Glen Burnie; Landover; Pasadena; Severna Park and Upper Marlboro. ICE did not release any specific addresses, or information on the locations of the D.C. stores. The agency targeted stores in 17 states, including California, New York and Texas. The action appears to open a new front in Trump's expansion of immigration enforcement, which has already brought a 40 percent increase in deportation arrests. ICE Deputy Director Thomas D. Homan, who is performing the duties of the director, said the agency will eliminate "unfair competitive advantages for companies that exploit illegal immigration. Todays actions send a strong message to U.S. businesses that hire and employ an illegal workforce: ICE will enforce the law, and if you are found to be breaking the law, you will be held accountable, he said in a statement. Derek Benner, a top official at ICE, said the operation Wednesday was "the first of many" and "a harbinger of what's to come" for employers. "This is what we're gearing up for this year and what you're going to see more and more of is these large-scale compliance inspections, just for starters," said Benner, acting head of ICE's Homeland Security Investigations, which oversees cases against employers. After the inspections, officials planned to look at whether the cases warrant administrative action or criminal investigations, Benner said. 7-Eleven Stores Inc., based in Irving, Texas, said in a statement that the owners of its franchises are responsible for hiring and verifying work eligibility. The chain with more than 8,600 convenience stores in the U.S. said it has previously ended franchise agreements for owners convicted of breaking employment laws. A Washington, D.C. landmark that serves retired military veterans is facing a $15 million lawsuit from the District's water and sewer agency. A copy of the suit, which was filed in D.C. federal court this week, accuses the Armed Forces Retirement Home of failing to pay water and sewer bills since 2004. The Armed Forces Retirement Home operates a retirement housing program for 375 people on a large federal site on Rock Creek Church Road in Northwest Washington, a retirement home spokesman told the News4 I-Team. The retirement home is an independent federal agency. In its lawsuit, the DC Water and Sewer Authority said it notified the Armed Forces Retirement Home in January 2004 that it would begin charging the agency for sewer services on the retirement home's Washington, D.C. campus. According to its suit, the DC Water and Sewer Authority said the home "refused to pay for the sewer services billed by DC Water" beginning in June 2004. The suit said the water agency and the retirement home entered a series of agreements between 2004 and 2010, but said the Armed Forces Retirement Home has breached its contract with DC Water by failing to pay bills between 2010 and the present. The suit said the bills due since 2010 total $15,000,000. In a statement to the News4 I-Team, a DC Water and Sewer Authority spokesman said, "DC Water has been working for several years to resolve the billing issue with AFRH. This suit was filed to preserve DC Water's rights. We are hoping to resolve the issue amicably. The Armed Forces Retirement Home declined to comment on the suit. But according to federal documents reviewed by the News4 I-Team, the AFRH had an agreement with D.C. government for free water service since 1938 in exchange for access to an aquifer on its property. In 1990, according to the Armed Forces Retirement Home Congressional Budget Justification, the DC Department of Public Works said it would honor the agreement. However, DC Water challenged that when it formed in 1996, later deciding to bill the property for sewer service beginning in 2004. According to the report, negotiations to resolve the dispute between AFRH and DC Water stalled. According to the Armed Forces Retirement Home's newsletters, the average age of its residents is 84. Federal officials first created the home and agency after the Mexican-American War in the mid-1800s to serve aging veterans. The Armed Forces Retirement Homes handbooks and newsletters said the agency offers continuing care, meals, rehabilitation and activities for elder military veterans, including bible study, recreational, educational programming. The oldest current resident is 99, according to the most recently posted newsletter. Human remains found last fall in Prince George's County, Maryland, are those of a 22-year-old D.C. man who disappeared after he left home to go on a date with a woman he met online, police say. Marty William McMillan Jr. was last seen on April 22, 2017, on the 2900 block of M Street SE. He told family members he was meeting a woman he met on the online dating website Plenty of Fish. His family never heard from him again. "His mom is going crazy. His grandma is going crazy. I definitely want to know exactly what happened or where my son is," his father, Marty McMillan Sr., said shortly after his son's disappearance. McMillan had just started a new job as an electrician, and his grandmother had just bought him a 2003 Volkswagen Passat. D.C. police said Thursday on what would have been McMillan's 23rd birthday that human remains discovered Oct. 30 are those of McMillan. The remains were found on the eastbound side of Suitland Parkway, between Interstate 495 and the ramp to the north gate of Joint Base Andrews. He was shot multiple times. A D.C. homicide investigation is underway. According to the preliminary investigation, police believe McMillan was shot inside an apartment on the 2600 block of Martin Luther King Ave. SE. Information on when he was shot was not available. Body of local man missing since April has been found. Family says police identified body found in PG County in October as Marty McMillan Jr. Family still looking for answers as to what happened. pic.twitter.com/gY1ALg0eyc Mark Segraves (@SegravesNBC4) January 11, 2018 His grandmother, Forlesia Cook, wept as she spoke about the killing. "He was a human being. He didn't deserve to be laying out there all that time like that, just thrown away like a piece of trash," she said. McMillan was just trying to go on a date when he disappeared, his grandmother said. "He didn't do anything wrong that day -- just trying to hang out and meet a girl," she said in a Facebook Live video published in June. A 22-year-old man has been missing from D.C. for nearly a month. Investigators told McMillan's family the last phone call he made was to the woman he was supposed to meet. But when investigators spoke to the woman more than a week later, she told them she didn't have her phone when he was communicating with her, and that she never saw him. McMillan's bank cards were used after he disappeared, The Washington Post reported. After McMillan's disappearance, his family launched a campaign to find him and spent every weekend searching for him. In May, his grandmother found his car on the 5800 block of Foote Street NE, three miles from where he was last seen. McMillan's grandmother said D.C. police should have done more to search for her grandson. "They wouldn't elevate his case to homicide. It was 'critical missing,' and it stayed that way until now, even though he was dead from the first day," she said through sobs. No arrests have been made. Anyone with information on McMillan's disappearance or death is asked to call police at 202-727-9099. Anonymous tips may be made by texting 50411. A reward of as much as $25,000 is offered. A new round of layoffs is taking effect this week at the Carrier Corp. factory in Indianapolis a little more than a year after President Donald Trump touted a deal that staved off the plant's closure and saved some of its jobs. About 215 people are being let go starting Thursday, leaving about 1,100 workers at the plant, according to the company. That's down from the some 1,600 factory, office and engineering jobs at the facility when Carrier announced plans in early 2016 to move production to Mexico. This week's previously announced layoffs follow about 340 job cuts at the factory in July. Trump frequently criticized Carrier's plant closing plans during the 2016 campaign. He traveled to the Indianapolis factory three weeks after his election win to announce a tax-incentive agreement partially reversing the closure and keeping some 800 furnace production jobs. Retired United Steelworkers Local 1999 President Chuck Jones, who was chastised by a Trump tweet after complaining that Trump gave false hope to Carrier workers by inflating the number of jobs being saved, said the president hasn't followed up on his campaign talk of stopping the country's loss of manufacturing jobs. "We haven't seen anything that would indicate that he plans on living up to those promises and commitments," Jones said. Trump and other Republicans maintain the business tax cuts included in the $1.5 trillion tax overhaul he signed into law last month will lead to more jobs and higher wages across the country. The latest Carrier job cuts follow the final closing in November of a 350-worker Rexnord Corp. industrial bearings factory in Indianapolis. Milwaukee-based Rexnord didn't change its decision to shift much of the factory's work to Mexico despite a tweet from Trump blasting Rexnord for "rather viciously firing" its workers. Carrier's parent company, Connecticut-based United Technologies, is also closing a control panel factory in the northeastern Indiana town of Huntington. The last of the plant's roughly 700 production workers are expected to be laid off this year, with that work also going to Mexico. Indiana officials have approved an incentive package that includes directing $7 million in state tax breaks and grants over 10 years to Carrier toward keeping the Indianapolis factory open. The deal includes Carrier investing $16 million for automation at the plant. The company's CEO has said that will ultimately mean fewer jobs at the factory. Robert James, who took over this summer from Jones as the union's local president, said Carrier officials have yet to discuss those automation plans with the union. Carrier Corp. said in a statement it has offered reimbursement programs for employees who seek college degrees or vocational training certifications. It also said United Technologies plans to hire nearly 25,000 people in the U.S. over the next three years. Jones said he appreciated that Trump helped save about 800 jobs at the Indianapolis factory, but lamented those that are being lost. "I think, without a doubt, that there's a lot more he could do so we wouldn't be losing these jobs at the rate we are," Jones said. A Rhode Island rapper whose songs include "Sell Drugsz" and "Feds Watching" was sentenced this week to three years in federal prison for trafficking heroin and fentanyl. Michael Persaud, aka "Montana Millz," 30, of Johnston, pleaded guilty in October to five counts of distribution of fentanyl and one count each of possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and distribution of heroin. Prosecutors said he was arrested following a 4-1/2 month investigation during which an undercover East Providence police detective arranged for several purchases of heroin and fentanyl from Persaud, totaling nearly 22 grams of fentanyl and 2 grams of heroin. In several instances, prosecutors said Persaud used other people to assist in the delivery of the drugs. On at least two occasions, he was driven by his girlfriend and mother of three of his children to deliver fentanyl to the undercover detective. Last March, East Providence police and members of the Rhode Island Drug Enforcement Administration Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at the home of the mother of one of Persaud's children, where they seized 44 grams of fentanyl he had hidden in the residence. Persaud also faces sentencing on similar charges out of Pennsylvania, where he was convicted in August as a result of an investigation into his drug trafficking activities in that state back in 2016. The Lebanon County, Pennsylvania district attorney said Persaud and a female accomplice sold heroin to an undercover police officer during a month-long investigation. The district attorney said they sold 70 bags of heroin to an undercover officer in Lebanon and were arrested. The Lebanon County district attorney said police raided the couple's hotel room and found more than 2 ounces of heroin worth about $11,500. If you called for a cab with Braintree Best Taxi in Massachusetts over the past week, this is the message you would have gotten: "I've owned and operated the company for about 30 years and after trying everything, exhausting every avenue, I'm sorry to announce that I will no longer be able to stay in business due to the entry of Uber into our city of Braintree." Greg Najjar decided to close his cab company the largest one in town after he says he couldn't compete with Uber and Lyft. Najjar says he felt helpless leaving about 100 drivers and mechanics without work. "I feel for him, the marketplace has changed, I don't like to see small businesses go out of business," said Braintree Mayor Joseph Sullivan. Mayor Sullivan says the town did look at ways it could regulate Uber and Lyft to protect local cab companies a few years ago, but ultimately decided it made more sense to let the state regulate them. "We just couldn't be one community out of 351 that were going to operate under different rules," said Mayor Sullivan. "The convenience of it makes it hard to compete with, for sure," said Jameson Malgeri of Danvers. Riders we spoke with said they don't like seeing longtime local companies like Braintree Best Taxi going out of business, but it comes down to price and a ride at your fingertips. "It's best to pay $3 than $10," said Igor Gomes of Braintree. "I think it's definitely sad that small businesses are failing because of Uber, but personally, I use Uber a lot," agreed Megan Alakel of Weymouth. Kathy Reardon returned Wednesday night to salvage what she could, her car still soaking wet in Gloucester, Massachusetts, after a historic storm. "It's totaled. Totally underwater, the car was underwater," Reardon said. "It's unbelievable, we have never seen anything like that. It looked like a graveyard of cars underwater." Reardon, a home health care nurse, spent Wednesday evening pulling soggy papers and other items out of her car's trunk. While she did, she was still thinking about Thursday's storm that flooded the parking lot of Gloucester High School, where her car, and more than 70 others, were parked. "All you could see were cars, and they looked like they were in the middle of the ocean," she said. Vanessa Lucido also had her car parked in the high school lot. "I was staying at my friend's house for her birthday, and the next day, I got a call from my boyfriend, and he told me the lot was underwater," she said. "I thought he was messing with me for a second." "Never seen anything like that in my life," she said. City officials say they have used the public lot for decades, providing some relief for those in town who don't have off-street private parking during snow emergencies. "Certainly, the city feels for these residents, and [it's] frustrating for the folks who had the loss, as well as the city, who are trying to give them some support," said Jim Destino, the city's chief administrative officer. "We have reached out to our insurance company to see if they would be covered, and they are not covered." Destino says the parking lot has been used for decades without issue. "Never had this type of problem before," he said. "It was a very unique storm, with the storm surge, and unfortunately we had the loss there." MEMA field officers will be in the area later this week to see if the region can qualify for national disaster relief. In the meantime, the city has reached out to local car dealerships to provide deals, and is also waiving towing and storage fees for those who lost their cars. "We are doing everything we can to help these people in a very, very frustrating situation," Destino said. Police in New Hampshire have arrested a man accused of sexually assaulting two young children. Twenty-seven-year-old Lebanon resident Michael Lauzon is facing two counts of felonious sexual assault on a child under the age of 13, according to police. Lauzon was arrested Wednesday following an investigation that began Jan. 2 after accusations that he assaulted two kids ages 6 and 8. The children know Lauzon, but are not related to him, police said. Lauzon's home was searched during the investigation. He was held on $10,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned in the Grafton County Superior Court Thursday. It's unclear if he has an attorney. Norwich man reports from Rohingya refugee clinic Norwich man reports from Rohingya refugee clinic Norwich-based Disaster Assistance Response Team Eldred Willey reports direct from a Samaritans Purse emergency diphtheria clinic he has helped to set up over the past two weeks in Bangladesh to serve Rohingya refugees. More than a decade ago, I launched the forerunner to SD-WAN Experts, MPLS Experts, on a project to China. Back then finding out telecom services in another country, let alone another continent, seemed like a mission impossible. China was among the most difficult. Much has changed in our industry. MPLS has given way to SD-WAN, but some things remain the same. We still need global connectivity and China continues to remain a mystery. My story about China blocking VPN traffic and potentially SD-WAN traffic caused quite a stir in the industry, in large part because, like so many things when dealing with China, concrete information remains scarce (particularly for non-native speakers). To recap: According to a notice China Telecom send to one of my customers, the Chinese Government will require commercial Chinese ISPs to block TCP ports 80, 8080, and 443 by January 11, 2018. Port 80 is of course the TCP port commonly used for carrying HTTP traffic; 8080 and 443 are used for carrying HTTPS traffic. I've also seen similar notices from China Telecom circulated on social media, Yuan Yang, the Beijing correspondent for the Financial Times, wrote to me in an email. Commercial ISP customers interested in maintaining access to those ports must register or apply to re-open the port through their local ISP. Now, we know that China policy blocks some traffic. Thats not new. In June of 2017, several sources reported that China would be blocking consumer VPN traffic. There would be crackdowns on accessing the Internet beyond the Great Firewall the worlds most sophisticated state-censorship operation, which employs at least 2 million online censors. Whats new here are the specifics. China Telecom will be blocking traffic from commercial users starting today. What exactly is a commercial user? Whats the scope of the regulation? The focus on commercial users is particularly important. There are some whove suggested that the notice is only targeting external use companies who sell internet-based services. The Chinese regs (thank you Google Translate) discuss how Internet information service providers (which are different from Internet service providers) must register or else be blocked by their ISPs. The notice I found is effective January 1, 2018. Close to, but not quite the February 1 deadline. (Im hardly a Chinese telecom lawyer and am the first to admit that my reading of this regulation might be wrong.) Yang suspects the same. The Shanghai Telecom notice you forwarded me lightly suggests the same, since it asks companies to provide their ICP license only internet companies would usually consider applying for an ICP license. But it's not conclusive as to who it's addressed at, she says. If indeed only Internet companies are being targeted and by that we mean companies selling goods and services to online customers then IT managers may be able to breathe a sigh of relief. Im still uncertain how many companies who dont sell anything online, but if the description is accurate, at least as far as SD-WAN systems are concerned, IT operations should remain unaffected in most cases. SD-WAN appliances are typically used within companies, which would put them outside of regulatory scope. Thats good, since they rely on Internet access to some degree, blocking 443 (and certainly port 80 and 8080) would most likely disrupt many SD-WAN solutions. Even hybrid WANs that mix MPLS and Internet could be impacted, at least indirectly. Theyll work fine for those applications running across the private data service, but will be disrupted when failing over to the Internet or sending traffic across the encrypted Internet tunnel as the primary traffic driver. If the regulations do not target internal use, though, then SD-WANs site-to-site VPNs run by companies should not face a problem. Sounds good, right? But heres the rub: my customer isnt an internet company. Its also not unique in receiving such as notice. I have also heard of non-internet companies that have been affected, wrote Yang. As it turns out there are cases when non-internet companies have registered their VPNs. As I was finishing up on this blog, Yang wrote back with the following: I spoke to a western multinational in Beijing (a professional services firm not an internet/tech-related company) who had successfully registered their company-internal VPN with the authorities a couple of years ago, when the regulations over VPNs first came out. The registration process was NOT the same as the ICP licensing process. So, it is possible to register your company-internal VPN. A bit lost? Youre not alone. I have spoken to tech lawyers in Beijing who have also said their clients are confused. So am I, to be honest. And theres more. Is the regulation only blocking those ports within China or will traffic exiting China on those ports also be subject to the regulations? Difficult to say. One way around the issue would seem to use private data service, such as a leased line or MPLS circuit. China Telecom (not surprisingly) offers such a service. But thats hardly a solution. MPLS services are expensive, cumbersome to deploy, and the Chinese government still has the right to inspect your traffic. The whole point for SD-WAN is to move away from private data services not adopt them. Besides, itll probably take you longer to get your MPLS circuit deployed than it will to find out the scope of the regulation. In my last article, I recommended you check with your provider. I still think thats sound advice. And sit tight for now before racing off for a technology decision that might constrain you going forward. The mystery should start clearing up very soon. Police appealing for witnesses after 73-year-old was pulled to the ground AN elderly woman was robbed of her handbag in what police are describing as a "very distressing" incident in Newbury last Thursday. The 73-year-old victim was walking along Racecourse Road at 6.50pm and reportedly on her way to a church meeting when she was approached from behind by a man. The man grabbed her handbag strap and the force of doing so pulled the victim to the ground. While on the ground the victim tried to shout for help to passers-by. The offender managed to pull the bag from the victim and ran off over Stroud Green towards Nightingales Estate. The victim was not injured. Her black fabric bag was stolen during the incident which contained cash and bank cards. The offender is a man wearing dark clothes and gloves. Investigating officer Detective Constable Martin Turner, based at Newbury police station, said: This incident occurred at a busy time of the day in a busy area of Newbury. "It was a very distressing incident for the victim and we are working to locate those responsible. If you saw this incident, or have any information relating to it which you think could help our investigation, please get in touch. Anyone with any details should call the Thames Valley Police non-emergency number on 101. If you have any information relating to this case, call 101 quoting reference '43180003880', or contact Crimestoppers anonymously. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, and nonmelanoma skin cancer is the most common type of skin cancer, affecting more than 3 million Americans every year. Moreover, NMSC incidence is growing at an exponential rate -; between 1976-1984 and 2000-2010, the overall incidence of basal cell carcinoma increased by 145 percent, and the overall incidence of squamous cell carcinoma increased by 263 percent. The American Academy of Dermatology has addressed this growing health concern with the release of its guidelines of care for the management of basal cell carcinoma and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, published online in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology on Jan. 10. Developed by a work group composed of board-certified dermatologists and other experts in the field, the evidence-based guidelines cover best practices for the management of NMSC. "These two guidelines will help doctors provide the best possible care for patients with BCC and SCC," says board-certified dermatologist Christopher K. Bichakjian, MD, FAAD, co-chair of the work group that developed the guidelines. "If they are left untreated, some NMSCs may grow and spread, potentially leading to disfigurement and even death. When detected early, however, these skin cancers are highly treatable." According to the guidelines, surgical treatment -; excision, Mohs surgery, or curettage and electrodessication -; is the most effective option for most cases of NMSC. In some cases, however, doctors may consider other treatments, such as cryotherapy, radiation or topical therapy. The guidelines do not include recommendations for treating NMSC with laser therapy or electronic brachytherapy, as there was not enough evidence available for the work group to make an informed decision. "Board-certified dermatologists have the training, knowledge and experience to provide NMSC patients with the highest-quality care," says board-certified dermatologist Murad Alam, MD, FAAD, co-chair of the guidelines work group. "If you are diagnosed with BCC or SCC, a board-certified dermatologist can work with you to determine the treatment option that's best for you." To emphasize the importance of considering the patient perspective in determining how to treat BCC and SCC, the AAD's work group included patient advocate Kristi Schmitt Burr, who has been dealing with NMSCs for more than five decades due to a genetic condition called basal cell nevus syndrome (also known as Gorlin-Goltz syndrome). Burr says it's important for patients to understand their available treatment options and to have input in their medical care. "I sincerely appreciate the AAD's including patient engagement as an integral component in developing these guidelines, as it is vital for patients and their families to have a voice in their care," Burr says. "Over the decades, trained dermatologists have provided my family with ample resources and counseling to help us achieve optimal outcomes. I hope these guidelines encourage further dialogues between expert doctors, their skilled staff and the patients in their care." In addition to providing recommendations on NMSC treatment, the guidelines also provide follow-up recommendations for patients who have been diagnosed with BCC or SCC. According to the guidelines, these patients should receive an exam to check for new skin cancers at least once a year and take steps to prevent the development of future skin cancers. The AAD recommends that everyone, whether or not they have had a previous skin cancer, protect themselves from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays by seeking shade, wearing protective clothing, and using a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. The AAD also recommends that everyone perform regular skin self-exams to detect skin cancer early, when it's most treatable. Those who notice any new or suspicious spots on their skin, as well as anything changing, itching or bleeding, should see a board-certified dermatologist. "Prevention and early detection are the first steps in the fight against skin cancer, so it's important to protect your skin from the sun and keep an eye out for new, changing or suspicious spots," says board-certified dermatologist Henry W. Lim, MD, FAAD, president of the AAD. "If you are diagnosed with BCC or SCC, you can trust a board-certified dermatologist to provide you with the best possible treatment." Elderly patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) showed improved overall survival (OS) when treated with chemoradiation (CRT) compared to definitive radiation (RT) alone. Lung cancer is the most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. NSCLC constitutes between 80-85% of all lung cancers and more than 30% of those are diagnosed with stage III disease over the age of 65. Despite this large population, elderly patients are often excluded or underrepresented in clinical trials resulting in limited treatment options for this population of patients. Given that NSCLC is a heterogenous disease requiring a multidisciplinary treatment approach, and the limited treatment data available in this population, the optimal treatment strategy for stage III NSCLC in the elderly needs to be further explored. A group of investigators at The Ohio State University in the United States conducted a retrospective study to compare the effectiveness of RT alone verses CRT in elderly patients 70 years old with stage III NSCLC not treated surgically. Patients 70 years old with stage III NSCLC not surgically treated from 2003-2014 were selected from the National Cancer Database. Patients were divided into two cohorts: patients treated with definitive RT and patients treated with definitive CRT. The CRT patients were considered to have received concurrent CRT if chemotherapy was delivered within 30 days prior to or after initiation of RT, while sequential CRT was defined as RT delivered 30 days after initiation of chemotherapy. The OS between treatment groups was compared using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards regression before and after propensity score matching (PSM) to reduce potential selection bias. The results of the study were published in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, the official journal of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC). The study identified 5,023 elderly patients treated with definitive RT and 18,206 patients treated with CRT. Univariate analysis revealed that younger age, male sex, white race, higher income, stage IIIB, increased distance from the treating hospital and a Charlson-Deyo score <1 were associated with higher odds of receiving CRT. These covariates were used to calculate propensity scores. Treatment with CRT was associated with improved OS compared to RT before PSM (HR=0.66, 95%CI 0.64-0.68, p<0.0001) and after PSM (HR=0.91, 95%CI 0.85-0.96, p=0.002). After PSM, treatment with CRT corresponded to a 33% reduction in the risk of death (HR=0.67, 95%CI 0.64-0.70, p<0.001). The benefit of CRT was greater for elderly patients treated with multi-agent chemotherapy (HR=0.64, 95%CI 0.61-0.67, p<0.001) compared with single-agent chemotherapy (HR=0.83, 95%CI 0.75-0.92, p<0.001). Finally, patients treated with CRT were further subdivided into those treated with concurrent verses sequential CRT with 15,840 treated with concurrent CRT and 2,366 treated with sequential CRT. Treatment with sequential CRT corresponded to a 9% reduction in the risk of death (HR=0.91, 95%CI 0.85-0.96, p=0.002). The authors comment that, "Treatment of the elderly with locally advanced NSCLC is challenging and, with an aging population, will remain an issue for the U.S. healthcare system for the foreseeable future. To our knowledge, our study represents the largest reported cohort of elderly stage III NSCLC patients not treated surgically. We found that CRT is superior to definitive RT in elderly patients with stage III NSCLC not treated surgically. We also found that in patients that receive CRT, sequential chemotherapy and RT resulted in improved OS compared to concurrent CRT. Treatment of the elderly with stage III NSCLC should involve a multidisciplinary discussion. All patients not eligible for surgery should first be considered for CRT, with either concurrent or sequential RT. Based on our findings, multi-agent chemotherapy is preferred over single-agent regimens in suitable patients. When multi-agent chemotherapy is not feasible, a single-agent regimen is supported by our results. When chemotherapy is contraindicated or not recommended, then definitive RT alone should be considered." Choice of words might matter when doctors communicate uncertainty of diagnosis to their patients. A paper published in the International Journal for Quality in Health Care shows that the parents of pediatric patients may react more negatively to doctors who communicate uncertainty of diagnosis explicitly, such as directly stating they are unsure, as compared to doctors who use implicit language, such as discussing "most likely" diagnosis or providing several possible diagnoses under consideration. Diagnostic uncertainty is widespread in clinical practice and physician guidelines generally recommend that doctors explain the degree of uncertainty associated with their diagnosis. However, how exactly doctors should communicate uncertainty is a matter of debate. This communication can lower visit satisfaction, decrease adherence to doctor instructions, lessen trust, and decrease confidence in the doctor. The researchers here surveyed parents of pediatric patients who hypothetically received a diagnosis with an element of uncertainty. The uncertainty in the diagnosis was communicated in one of three ways; either with an explicit expression of uncertainty (such as "I'm not sure which disease this is"), an implicit expression of uncertainty using broad differential diagnoses (such as "it could be this disease or this other disease"), or another implicit expression of uncertainty (such as "it is most likely this disease"). Researchers found that explicit expressions of uncertainty were associated with lower perceived technical competence of the doctor, less trust and confidence, and a less willingness to adhere to doctors' advice. "Misdiagnosis is common in medical practice and to enable improvements, uncertainty of diagnosis is something both doctors and patients will need to embrace" said Hardeep Singh, MD, MPH, senior author and researcher at the Houston Veterans Affairs Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness and Safety and Baylor College of Medicine. "Our study provides a foundation for future development of evidence-based guidance on how doctors can best communicate diagnostic uncertainty to patients to improve diagnosis and care outcomes." A team of cancer researchers from the University of Liverpool, has made an important contribution to our understanding of cancer cell regulation which could better inform future cancer treatments. The research is funded by North West Cancer Research, which has ring-fenced 180,000 for the three-year-long project which started in 2015. Led by Professor Ian Prior at the University of Liverpool, in collaboration with researchers at AstraZeneca, the research focuses on a group of proteins found in the human body called kinases. Their research measures how changes in kinase activity can influence the growth, development and regulation of cancer cells. They measure kinase network rewiring that occurs in cancer patients so that they can identify new strategies for killing cancer cells. Their insights into this important family of proteins have been published in the highly regarded Cancer Research Journal and will provide a foundation for future research on the use of kinases in cancer treatments. Some kinases are currently being successfully targeted in cancer therapies, which work by inhibiting kinases that trigger cancer cells to divide and grow. Yet there is still a lot to learn about kinases and the important role they could play within future cancer treatments. The research has been published in the Journal of Cancer Research. Professor Prior, NWCR Chair of Molecular Oncology at the University of Liverpool explains: "Our research focused on getting under the microscope of cancer cell behavior and understanding the effects that different proteins can have on this behavior. "Research into kinases has been underway for many years now, but most attention has been focussed on only a few types, with relatively little known about the remaining types. "Our publication in the Cancer Research Journal highlights emerging and overlooked areas within kinase research and discusses the successes and challenges associated with treating cancer patients." North West Cancer Research secured 4million of funding for cancer research projects across Merseyside and the North West in 2017. This includes 1million of funding to sustain research at the North West Cancer Research Centre at the University of Liverpool until 2021. Alastair Richards, CEO North West Cancer Research said: "As a funder of cancer research, we are always pleased to hear when projects we have supported generate important breakthroughs in our understanding of cancer. "We are committed to funding only the best quality research to help the fight against cancer here in the North West. But we cannot do this alone. We rely solely on public donations - which is why every penny we raise is so important. "Without the help of our supporters and fundraisers we would not be able to continue to support the lifesaving research which is being carried out on our doorstep today." According to researchers at the Queen Mary University of London, trying out a single cigarette could raise the risk of taking up smoking as a habit for two thirds of the individuals. The study titled, What Proportion of People Who Try One Cigarette Become Daily Smokers? A Meta-Analysis of Representative Surveys, was published in the November 2017 issue of the journal Nicotine & Tobacco Research and outlined data on smoking among over 215,000 people in surveys from UK, US, Australia and New Zealand. Image Credit: Preeda2531 / Shutterstock The team of researchers collected data from 216314 individuals in the eight surveys through the Global Health Data Exchange. They had initially accessed 2776 surverys globally and finally only 8 of these met their criteria and provided them with detailed and complete accessible data to analyze. They noted that of the 60 percent of the participants who tried smoking for a single time, 68.9% went on to become full-fledged smokers who smoked daily. These eight surveys that they used were all involving English speaking populations and came between 2000 and 2016 from the developed nations. The number of people who took up smoking after their initial experiment is termed as conversion rate by the researchers. Lead researcher Peter Hajek explained that this was the first time that such an information was revealed and it is worth a note that cigarettes do have the potential to become a habit after just a single experience in such a large number of individuals. He explained that the actual numbers may be bigger. This is mainly because the study included eight surveys, each of which have been conducted in different manners using different methodologies and study designs. The range percentages of people who took up smoking after a single smoking experience was between 60.9 percent in one survey to up to 76.9 percent in another survey. An earlier study in 2007 had looked at 1246 sixth-grade students belonging to in six communities in Massachusetts. They had found that 10 percent of the participants became addicted to nicotine within two days of smoking their first cigarettes and a quarter were into the habit by a month. A single cigarette is not free from harm says the 2010 U.S. Surgeon General report and can raise the risk of acute health problems as well as long term risk of heart disease and heart attacks. According to Hajek only 19 percent of 11- to 15-year-olds in the UK have ever tried a cigarette and this means the number of kids getting hooked onto cigarettes has reduced significantly from the past. Among adults the number of smokers has gone down by 19.9 percent between 2010 and 2016. Hajek declared at the end of the study that he is a consultant and has obtained funds for research from manufacturers of medications that assist in cessation of smoking. This could be conflict of interest feel some experts. However, it is undisputable that young people should be discouraged to try their first cigarettes and warned about the harmful effects of even a single light. Source: https://academic.oup.com/ntr/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/ntr/ntx243/4591649?redirectedFrom=fulltext Scleroderma is a terribly debilitating disease with no effective treatments and the mortality rates are still upwards of 20%-50%, the highest of any rheumatic disease. This disabling autoimmune disorder results in inflammation and fibrosis leading to the thickening of the body's connective tissue, including the skin; and for decades its treatment has been symptomatic and, at best, inconsistently effective. But new research by a team from Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York City may signal hope for patients suffering from the condition. The mechanism behind systemic sclerosis is not well understood. However, new research published today in Science Translational Medicine reveals a potential breakthrough into the cause of this disease, and also provides a possible treatment lead. Led by HSS researcher Dr. Franck Barrat -- the Michael Bloomberg Chair and Senior Scientist at HSS - along with clinicians of the Scleroderma center of HSS, the work implicates what are called plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) in contributing to scleroderma. Normally pDCs secrete a compound called interferon to help fight off infections. However, as Dr. Barrat's study revealed, in scleroderma patients these cells are chronically activated and infiltrate the skin causing fibrosis and inflammation. "Plasmacytoid dendritic cells are known to be activated in many other rheumatic conditions, including lupus," explains Dr. Barrat. "But our findings suggest that they participate in both establishing and maintaining fibrosis in the skin as well. This is a very interesting finding as it opens new ways to tackle this condition." Dr. Barrat found that depleting pDCs in an animal model of scleroderma prevented the disease from forming, while also reversing already existing fibrosis. The new research also revealed that a receptor on the surface of pDCs called TLR8 is responsible for their increased activity. Dr. Barrat fully acknowledges the limitations of the new study in particular the part where the research used animal models of scleroderma, which only partially reflect the complexity of the disease in humans. But he's hopeful that not only will the new findings help illuminate the pathology of a puzzling disease, they may also represent potential novel approaches to treatment. Strategies to eliminate pDCs are currently being evaluated by drug companies in diseases other than scleroderma. And though these potential treatments are still years away from being available, Dr. Barrat hopes that "a better understanding of the role pDCs play in fibrosis will open up the possibility of repurposing existing drugs to treat patients with scleroderma". Who is Ironheart / Riri Williams and how will this Marvel character be integrated into the MCU? Riri Williams brings Black Girl Magic to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But who is Ironheart? All 10 Asean leaders confirm participation in India's Republic Day celebrations New Delhi : Leaders of all 10 Asean countries have confirmed their participation as Guests of Honour at India's Republic Day celebrations to commemorate 25 years of New Delhi's close ties with the southeast Asian bloc. Preeti Saran, Secretary East in the External Affairs Ministry, told reporters here on Wednesday that it was "unprecedented" in India's history to have 10 Guests of Honour at the Republic Day parade -- a mix of India's military might and cultural heritage. "This time, we will have all the 10 Asean leaders. We are delighted and honoured that all the 10 Asean leaders have confirmed their participation in the commemorative summit as well as to be Guests of Honour at the Republic Day," Saran said. She said it was a landmark year for Asean and India as they are celebrating 25 years of friendship, 15 years of summit partnership and five years of strategic partnership. She said that in the run up to the summit on January 25, the government also planned to organise another 16 major events. The leaders from Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam will start arriving by January 24. The summit will begin with a banquet hosted by President Ramnath Kovind, to be followed by a plenary and a "gala dinner to be hosted by Prime Minister" Narendra Modi. Saran said special arrangements have been made for spouses of at least six of the 10 leaders who would travel to India. MEA confirms India, Pakistan NSA meeting over terrorism in Bangkok New Delhi : India for the first time confirmed on Thursday that National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval met his Pakistani counterpart Nasir Khan Janjua in Bangkok last month with a focus on how to fight terror and end cross-border terrorism. "Yes, I agree talks took place. I also agree that the issue is of terrorism. Talks were held on how to rid this region of the scourge of terrorism, how to ensure that terrorism doesn't affect this region. I think we raised the issue of cross-border terrorism (with Pakistan) in those talks," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said. He was answering queries about media reports on the meeting between Doval and Janjua in Bangkok on December 26 -- a day after the mother and wife of retired Naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav met him in Islamabad and were subjected to humiliation by Pakistani authorities and a section of the press. The spokesperson de-linked the meeting between the NSAs from the stalled India-Pakistan dialogue process and said it was a part of operational level engagement between the two countries. "The dialogue process between India and Pakistan... We have said talks and terror cannot go together. But apart from that, there are other dialogue mechanisms that take place between India and Pakistan like talks at DGMO level, talks between BSF and Pakistan Rangers, there is a regular mechanism. Likewise, talks between NSAs is a part of operational level talks." He said while India believed that "terror and talks cannot go together but talks on terror can definitely go ahead". Asked if more such meetings between the NSAs were scheduled, Kumar said "these operational-level mechanisms do take place... but we don't announce these meeting. As and when these meetings take place, you will get to know." Pakistan engulfed in protests over rape and murder of 7-year-old Islamabad : Massive protests have erupted in Pakistan over rape and murder of a 7-year-old girl Zainab Ansari; her body was found on Tuesday near a garbage dumpster, roughly two kms from her house. According to reports by Pakistani TV channels, the girl was raped and then apparently strangled to death. Pakistan police officials told Dawn News that the post-mortem report of the child confirmed suspicions that she was raped before being murdered. The news left Pakistan residents fuming in anger, leading to protests across the nation. According to reuters, this is not the first time such incident has been reported from Kasur. In the past year, there have been at least 12 such reported incidents in that region. On January 4, Zainab Ansari had left her aunt's house to attend Quran class in the neighbourhood from where she was abducted. The family registered a missing complaint after the girl did not return home till late night. CCTV footage obtained by the family shows the girl walking with a stranger and holding his hand. Some reports claimed that the girl was walking without any apparent signs of fear. On January 9, a police constable recovered her body from a heap of rubbish. The victims father Ameen Ansari claimed that the police did not cooperate with the family members who registered the complaint. My relatives and neighbours told me that the police used to come, have food and leave, he told local media. While they didnt do anything, my friends and family spent day and night looking for my daughter, he added. US announces new travel advisory, asks citizens not to visit Pakistan Washington : The United States of America on Wednesday released new travel advisory for its residents in which it says 'reconsider travel' plan to Pakistan, placing it at Level 3 of its four point safety ranking system. Amid tough calls against Pakistan, the US cited 'terrorism' and 'increased risk' as the prime reasons behind such move. It also advised its countrymen to not travel to Balochistan province, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Federally Administered Tribal Areas among others. The new advisory has come days after the United States decided to cut down $225 million military aid to the country. As per the latest safety ranking system of the United States, Level 1 advises travellers to exercise normal precaution, while Level 4, which has countries like Afghanistan, recommends "Do Not Travel". "Will issue an overall travel advisory level for every country, levels of advice may vary for specific locations or areas within a country" the state department said. It further stated "improvements will provide US citizens with clear, timely, and reliable safety and security information worldwide" India has been placed at Level 2, which pertains to 'exercising increased caution'. Countries have been issuing travel advisories for its citizens time and again, considering the present global scenario. Now every country has a travel advisory based on this system, which has replaced all the previous such advisories. Californias Department of Water Resources was blasted in an independent report for having a culture of complacency and incompetence that contributed to last years near-disaster at Oroville Dam. The full 584 page independent forensic team report is here. The agencys largest water storage site and the nations tallest dam at Lake Oroville fell into disrepair. In February, pounding rain and large water releases caused the reservoirs spillway to collapse. A back-up spillway also failed. Fears that water would pour uncontrollably downstream prompted the evacuation of 180,000 people. The independent panel of safety experts said the dam was badly built from the start in the 1960s. The principal designer of the spillway told the dam-safety team that he had just completed post-graduate work at the time he worked on the Oroville project decades ago, had had no previous engineering employment beyond two summer stints, and had never designed a spillway before. Fifty years of incompetence and complancency The seriousness of the weak as-constructed conditions and lack of repair durability was not recognized during numerous inspections and review processes over the almost 50-year history of the project. Over time, chute flows and temperature variations led to progressive deterioration of the concrete and corrosion of steel reinforcing bars and anchors, with likely loss of slab strength and anchor capacity. There was likely also some shallow underslab erosion and some loss of underdrain system effectiveness, which contributed to increased slab uplift forces. The particularly poor foundation conditions at the initial service spillway chute failure location contributed to likely low anchor capacity and shallow underslab erosion. Due to the unrecognized inherent vulnerability of the design and as-constructed conditions and the chute slab deterioration, the spillway chute slab failure, although inevitable, was unexpected. Once the initial section of the chute slab was uplifted, the underlying poor quality foundation materials were directly exposed to high velocity flows and were quickly eroded. Undermining and uplift of other portions of the chute slab resulted in further removal of slab sections and more foundation erosion. Although the poor foundation conditions at both spillways were well documented in geology reports, these conditions were not properly addressed in the original design and construction, and all subsequent reviews mischaracterized the foundation as good quality rock. As a result, the significant erosion of the service spillway foundation was also not anticipated. Following the unexpected chute slab failure and erosion, and subsequent closure of the service spillway gates to examine the damage, delicate and difficult risk tradeoffs, involving myriad considerations, were necessary over the next few days in order to manage the incident. There were many opportunities to intervene and prevent the incident, but the overall system of interconnected factors operated in a way that these opportunities were missed. Numerous human, organizational, and industry factors led to the physical factors not being recognized and properly addressed, and to the decision-making during the incident. The following are some of the key factors which are specific to DWR: The dam safety culture and program within DWR, although maturing rapidly and on the right path, was still relatively immature at the time of the incident and has been too reliant on regulators and the regulatory process. Like many other large dam owners, DWR has been somewhat overconfident and complacent regarding the integrity of its civil infrastructure and has tended to emphasize shorter-term operational considerations. Combined with cost pressures, this resulted in strained internal relationships and inadequate priority for dam safety. DWR has been a somewhat insular organization, which inhibited accessing industry knowledge and developing needed technical expertise. DWRs ability to build the appropriate size, composition, and expertise of its technical staff involved in dam engineering and safety has been limited by bureaucratic constraints. Amphibious warship Portland (LPD-27) will have a combat laser weapon installed by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and will serve as the flagship of this years Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise in Hawaii. The laser gun that is considered a next-generation follow-on to the Laser Weapon System (LaWS) that was tested for three years in the Middle East aboard afloat forward staging base USS Ponce. The laser will be installed as early as this fall and will be a bolt-on capability, much like LaWS. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. WASHINGTON I would make a lousy detective. This became as clear as a bloody footprint to me last week, as I walked through Murder Is Her Hobby at the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, an exhibition of 19 miniature crime scenes created by Frances Glessner Lee in the 1940s and 50s as training tools for police investigators. The models, meticulously handcrafted by Lee, are known as The Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death. Nearly all are owned by the Harvard Medical School and on loan from the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, where they live, and continue to teach, some 70 years on. I encourage you to drop what youre doing and go to see them, before they go back into seclusion after the show closes on Jan. 28. The Nutshells are not only ingenious devices for the instruction of crime scene examiners, they are a body of imaginative work that would have established any artists career and place in art history. Ms. Lee was not a schooled artist. She was a rich, frustrated woman in her 60s when she began them, and almost belligerent in her pursuit of a place in the infant field of forensic science. Lee shared its passion about the deceptions of crime and the need for truth in investigation. Entry to this professional realm was a double-locked door: men, and in particular police, held the keys. The majority of the victims in the Nutshells are women, found in their homes. President Trump is crashing the global elites ultimate party: Hes planning to attend the World Economic Forums annual gathering in Davos this month, the White House confirmed on Tuesday. Its hard to imagine an audience less receptive to Mr. Trumps America First agenda. Yet, whether he is seeking reconciliation or pitching for strongman status, his mere presence is a rebuke to the elites who got him badly wrong. Mr. Trump will stand out among the 3,000-odd political leaders, financiers and company executives due to convene in the Swiss resort on Jan. 23. His threats to raise barriers to the movement of goods and people, his rejection of the Paris climate change accord and his belligerence toward North Korea have convinced the gatherings wealthy and mostly liberal delegates that the United States is giving up on global leadership. Indeed, this years Davos theme Creating a shared future in a fractured world seems an attempt to mitigate Mr. Trumps influence. The self-proclaimed billionaire will be the first sitting United States president to attend the gathering since Bill Clinton in 2000. Just as President Richard M. Nixons right-wing credentials made it possible for him to visit Communist China, Mr. Trumps anti-globalization stance has enabled him to risk a trip to the European mountain resort. Imagine the vitriol that Barack Obama would have endured at home if he had put in an appearance. What Mr. Trump hopes to achieve is less clear. There will be optimism that his visit is a sign that White House moderates have gained the upper hand. Even so, it is hard to imagine Mr. Trump giving a conciliatory speech or defending globalization, as the Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, did last year. Two prominent journalists, one at Fox News and one at The Washington Post, are facing allegations of inappropriate workplace conduct. NPR reported Wednesday that James Rosen, a former Washington correspondent who left Fox News last month, had done so after the network began scrutinizing sexual misconduct allegations against him. And Joel Achenbach, a Washington Post reporter, received a 90-day suspension on Wednesday for unspecified misconduct involving current and former female colleagues. Mr. Rosen, who had worked at Fox for 18 years, was known for his reporting on national security; an article he wrote in 2009 on intelligence related to North Korea led the Justice Department under President Barack Obama to investigate him and his sources. According to NPR, which cited eight former colleagues, Mr. Rosen had an established pattern of flirting aggressively with many peers and had made sexual advances toward three female Fox News journalists, including two reporters and a producer. Mr. Rosen did not immediately respond to a Twitter message requesting comment, and a home phone number listed for him was not in service. A spokeswoman for Fox News did not respond to an email. The city comptroller, Scott M. Stringer, who sat next to Mr. de Blasio at the news conference, tempered his enthusiasm on the pension divestments, saying, Were setting a formal goal to divest from fossil fuels. He added that any decision would be complex, take time and must be viewed through a lens of sound fiscal stewardship. He said the goal was to complete the divestment within five years. Trustees for the citys five pension funds would need to approve any divestment, weighing its effect on the funds performance. A resolution submitted on Wednesday to the boards of the five funds called for them to initiate a process for determining a prudent divestment strategy in keeping with the fiduciary duty to responsibly manage the funds. It called for the boards to hire a consultant to study the issue and its impact on risk and return. Mr. de Blasio said that a majority of the trustees on two of the funds one for teachers and another for many employees not including police officers or firefighters were ready to support divestment. Some participants in the news conference noted that under Mayor de Blasio, the citys pension funds had previously divested from companies involved in the coal industry, as well as from private prison companies. But those investments represented a total of about $60 million, far less than the estimated $5 billion invested in fossil fuel companies. The total amount managed by the funds is about $189 billion. The divestment announcement comes less than a month after Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo promised to cease the states investments in entities with significant fossil-fuel activities, and created an advisory committee to develop a decarbonization road map. The news conference Wednesday was held at a Lower Manhattan community center that Mr. de Blasio said had been flooded during Hurricane Sandy. It was attended by activists wearing buttons calling for divestment, who applauded frequently as Mr. de Blasio, Mr. Stringer and other officials spoke. Mr. de Blasio has made other grandiose pledges to combat climate change. Last September he announced that the city would force the owners of large buildings, including apartment houses and office buildings, to retrofit them to save energy. But what he ultimately revealed was a vague plan that needed to be fleshed out and then enacted by the City Council, which quickly distanced itself from the announcement. Sen. Savino found the invitation unusual enough to turn to one of Sen. Kleins staff members present to ask if he had heard the invitation, Mr. Kleins lawyers wrote. Ms. Vladimer, who was not immediately reachable for comment, painted a far different picture of Mr. Kleins behavior, and its effect on her life. A month after that night, Ms. Vladimer said she left Mr. Kleins office. (The senators lawyers report confirmed her departure, but a spokeswoman for the senator said later that Ms. Vladimer had already been looking for a job before the night in question.) Ms. Vladimer added that after the senator had kissed her that night, she pulled away. I said, Senator, absolutely not. she said to HuffPost. And he looked at me and said, with this stupid little grin on his face, What? What? Ms. Vladimer said she soon left the bar and went to a friends house, where she broke down, according to the friend, who was not identified in the article. State Senator Liz Krueger, a Manhattan Democrat, said that she had been approached for advice by Ms. Vladimer about two weeks ago. Although Ms. Krueger said she did not initially ask which senator was involved, to avoid any potential bias, she said she immediately found Ms. Vladimer to be credible. She said she was absolutely not doing this because she wanted a payday, Ms. Krueger, an outspoken supporter of womens issues in Albany, said in a phone interview on Wednesday. Mr. Kleins group, the Independent Democratic Conference, has been collaborating with Republicans in the State Senate since 2011, helping the G.O.P. run Albanys upper chamber, much to the chagrin of many progressive groups and a group of traditional Democrats led by Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, also of Westchester County. Donnelly Rhodes, a Canadian-born character actor best remembered by American television audiences for playing an escaped convict on the sitcom Soap and a brusque doctor on the recent reboot of Battlestar Galactica, died on Monday at a hospice facility near his home in Maple Ridge, British Columbia. He was 81. The cause was cancer, his agent, Lisa King, said. Mr. Rhodess television career began with westerns like Maverick and Bonanza in the early 1960s and continued until 2016. Over the decades he appeared in practically every televised genre, from sitcoms to soap operas. His experience on The Young and the Restless in the mid-1970s may have prepared him for the plot twists and surprises of the soap-opera spoof Soap; beginning in 1978, during the shows second season, he played Dutch Leitner, a dimwitted criminal who helped Chester Tate, the philandering head of the wealthy Tate family, escape from prison. Duth then hid out at the Tate mansion and later wooed and eventually married Chesters daughter, Eunice. And yeah, maybe some wall equivalent. We dont need to discuss that now. The Dreamers are an immediate crisis. But even if you thought building a monstrous multibillion-dollar barrier along the border was a good idea, its not something thats going to happen anytime soon. Here is the current vision in the presidents mind: We dont need a wall where you have rivers and mountains and everything else protecting it, he told that congressional meeting. But we do need a wall for a fairly good portion. We also as you know, it was passed in 2006 a essentially similar thing which a fence, a very substantial fence was passed. But unfortunately, I dont know, they never got it done. But they need it. So, O.K. Senator Dianne Feinstein proposed doing a clean DACA bill now followed by a major immigration reform later. Trump thought that was a great idea. Were going to do DACA, he announced, and then we can start immediately on the phase two, which would be comprehensive. So easy, so bipartisan, so bill of love. Were on the same page, Trump told the gathering. We are, we are, said Representative Henry Cuellar of Texas, a Democrat who had been arguing strenuously against the wall idea. Then Wednesday the president shouted No! No! No! when asked if hed be open to any deal on the immediately endangered Dreamers that didnt also involve his Mexican wall. This was at an appearance with the poor prime minister of Norway, who had to look sympathetic when Trump managed to find ways in a rather short press conference to brag about the American trade surplus with her country, say no collusion seven times, brag about winning the Electoral College and attack Hillary Clinton. (But Hillary was not for a strong military, and Hillary, my opponent, was for windmills. ) Plus torpedo the DACA plan. So Trump, who told those Congress members he would take the heat for anything they wanted to do to save the Dreamers, threw up a wall. How do we explain all this? If there has been any benefit from Russias interference in the 2016 election, its that it has raised awareness about President Vladimir Putins broader threat to democracies in Europe and elsewhere. In the face of complacency from Republicans fearful of what attention to these intrigues might reveal about the Trump campaigns dealings with Russia, Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee have issued a report that appears to be the most comprehensive public accounting of Russias war on the West. It drives home the point that the 2016 election, which every American intelligence agency has said involved Russian interference to help elect Donald Trump, is part of a pattern in which Mr. Putin has worked to erode Western institutions and undermine faith in democratic practices. Few countries in Europe have escaped his malign intrusions. The report should serve as an alert for the United States to work urgently with its allies to protect democracy. WASHINGTON The European Union is the Wests last line of defense. The United States has historically been the worlds anchor of republican ideals, but President Trump has abandoned the role, openly admiring strongmen like Vladimir Putin of Russia. As the temptations of nationalist populism spread, Europe has responsibility for holding down the Western fort. The primary battle right now is over Poland, which is deepening its descent into illiberalism. The European Union needs to take a firm stand in defense of Western values. Since coming to power in 2015, Polands populist government has sought to control the news media, purged and politicized the civil service, and intimidated intellectuals and civil society organizations. Three weeks ago, Polands president signed into law legislation that compromises judicial independence, effectively clearing the way for the ruling Law and Justice party to stack the courts. In response, Brussels has taken the right steps, warning Warsaw of punishment if it continues to pursue policies inconsistent with the European Unions founding principles, which include democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights. In late December, the European Commission for the first time in the unions history started a formal procedure that could lead to disciplinary sanctions, including the suspension of Polands voting rights in the European Unions main decision-making body. These measures have not gone unnoticed in Warsaw. This week, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki reshuffled his cabinet, replacing a number of ministers whose relationships with European leaders were particularly strained. And he flew to Brussels for dinner with Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission. But these moves have yet to be accompanied by any concrete steps to reverse Polands illiberal turn. The European Union must keep the pressure on. What he did on a half-dozen occasions, by his count was to let homeless people sleep on cots in his basement when the windchill factor dipped below 15 degrees. Mr. Schiller provided hot drinks and simple meals like ramen. He showed movies, G-rated fare like old Lassie films and Christian-themed works. Typically, he said, 10 people stayed overnight. Come morning, they had to leave. There were no untoward episodes during the sleepovers, he said. These people are my friends, he told a Chicago radio station, insisting on his right to have friends over to spend the night. Thats not how Elgin officials viewed it. To them, Mr. Schiller in effect had created a shelter of his own and blatantly flouted various ordinances, for instance by not having enough exits from the basement in case of a fire. We understand where hes coming from, Laura Valdez, the assistant city manager, said, but we do have shelters for the homeless. At any given time, she said, her city of about 110,000 has about 100 men and women in need of shelter. Not everybody in need, though, wishes to spend the night in a municipally sanctioned facility, whether out of safety fears or out of innate resistance to the rules. That is as true in Elgin as it is in a vastly larger city like New York. So a fair question would seem to be whether Mr. Schillers offer of a place for these people to lay their heads in severe weather outweighs city codes governing full-time shelters. One person who thinks so is Jeff Rowes, a lawyer at the Institute for Justice, a public-interest firm in Arlington, Va., with a libertarian bent. He has been in touch with Mr. Schiller. Fundamentally, Mr. Rowes said, you have a right to rescue people unless theres evidence youll do more harm than good. He called it the right to be a good Samaritan. After this dispute became the focus of news articles, Mr. Schiller and Elgin officials discussed ways in which the city might work harder to shelter all the homeless on the coldest nights, perhaps even allowing them to sleep in the lobby of a police station. Satisfied for now, Mr. Schiller said he would drop his plan to sue the municipality. In a way, thats too bad, because a court case might help clarify how far the sanctity of ones castle extends. This behavior may be evidence of some underlying disorder, or it may not. Who knows? Mr. Trump hasnt undergone a mental-health evaluation, at least not one made public. But even if his behavior were diagnosed as an illness, what would that tell us that we dont already know? Plenty of people with mental disorders or disabilities function at high levels of society. Conversely, if Mr. Trump were found to have no diagnosable illness, he would be no more fit for the office he holds than he is today. The problem lies in trying to locate the essence of Mr. Trumps unfitness in the unknowable reaches of his mind, as opposed to where we can all openly see it and address it in political terms. As the psychiatrist Allen Frances told The Times: You cant say enough about how incompetent and unqualified he is to be leader of the free world. But that does not make him mentally ill. Unfortunately, a number of psychiatrists, politicians and others who should know better have increasingly taken up the Trump-is-crazy line. In The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump, released last October, more than two dozen contributors, most mental-health professionals, concluded that Mr. Trump presents a grave and immediate danger to the safety of America and the world. No argument there, but why do we need to hear it from psychiatrists relying on their professional credentials? Dr. Bandy Lee, one of the books editors, said the authors are assessing dangerousness, not making a diagnosis. Anyone with access to newspapers or Mr. Trumps Twitter feed can do the same. The psychiatrists say they have a duty to warn the public about what they see as a serious threat to the nation. Thats commendable, but they should consider how their comments will be taken by the vast majority of Americans, particularly in a highly politically polarized time. The language of mental health and illness is widely used yet poorly understood, and it comes loaded with unwarranted assumptions and harmful stereotypes. Theres a good reason the profession established an ethical guideline in 1973, known as the Goldwater Rule, that prohibits psychiatrists from offering professional judgment on public figures they have not personally examined. A bad-trip Jesus Christ Superstar, a Godspell set to an EDM beat, a paradise that gets very, very lost. This is Electric Lucifer, Jim Findlays gonzo staging of two albums by the Canadian electronic music pioneer Bruce Haack, who died in 1988. A childrens music artist and the inventor of the Dermatron, a synthesizer activated by the heat of skin, Haack released The Electric Lucifer on Columbia Records in 1970 and a follow-up eight years later. With their bloops, bleeps and bizarro version of the synoptic gospels, these concept albums ultimately describe an epic battle for the soul of the universe that encompasses Lucifers fall, Christs passion and the coming Armageddon. The production, at the Kitchen, begins with a sweet curiosity, a video of Haack visiting Mister Rogers Neighborhood and demonstrating a synthesizer. Then the lights pulse, the way-out band grooves and a chorus in spandex starts to writhe. There are calls of Program me! and shout-outs to electricity, alongside a greatest-hits version of Jesuss life, which skips from birth to arrest and crucifixion. In a nifty bit of staging, Mr. Findlay has a thorn-crowned Jesus (Robert M. Johanson) swaddled in a high-tech loincloth and then hoisted several feet above the stage to hover and bleed. The politicians are using us like a sport, you know, theyre using us like punching bags. Democrats and Republicans alike have to stand up for us because there are DACA beneficiaries in every state. I was brought when I was 11 ... when I was 7, from Brazil. I was about 10. I was 12 years old. I was 7 years old. ... about 8 years old. We crossed the border, but we were little. So Ive been here 18 years. Im 29 years old. I am 20. I am 19 years old. Ive been here for 21 years. I am 27 years old now. I am 23 years old and I am originally from Mexico. When DACA was announced, I remember exactly where I was in 2012. I was at the Museum of American History. Before DACA I always felt like I was in between two worlds. I was born in Honduras. But if I were to go back to Honduras, its like Im foreign to them. Its a tug of war. When youre undocumented, youre always just aware of the situations, of the locations, who you were talking to, how you are interacting with folks, ensuring that you dont do anything that will bring attention to you because you live a life of shadows. You know, I have been able to accomplish a lot more than when I was undocumented. To get a social security number, loans from the bank, a better job. Every time my parents call me after 11 p.m., its like my heart is racing. When you are an immigrant in this country, you wake up every day with the fear that you could be taken away, right, that your family could be broken up. I have been preparing my kids of, for, you know, These are the risk[s]. This could happen to your dad and to me. I just cant imagine, you know, my nieces and nephews being separated from their parents or them going back to a country that they dont know because this is their home. They shouldnt live with that fear that I had to grow up with. Thats not a normal life. Thats not normal. And I know that like my friends that are U.S. citizens dont go through that. And nobody should go through that. Im not leaving my home, and I think if Trump ever wanted to talk to us, if he wanted to talk to these Dreamers he would realize that we love this country. We want to stay here, and ... ... if its taken away, Im losing my job, Im losing the opportunity to work and school. People dont understand but its a big thing, its a huge thing, its privileges that some people here take for granted. Taking DACA away is like taking a family member away from me. That wall that Donald Trump wants to build, you know, its putting a wall in front of me where I wont be able to move forward. You are not just taking something away from us, but youre taking something away from this country. This land is not a white America. Its not. This is a land of immigrants. I mean, I was already a person before DACA. A lot of people say, Oh, you know, whats going to happen after DACA? Im not going down without a fight. You know, whatever happens next, I love this country and I belong here. Im fighting for my family, Im fighting for the friends of mine that cant even stand up because theyre scared. We just want to stay here and contribute to this country, to the economy ... We are good people. Were not criminals. The new House Republicans stand underscored the uncertainty about immigration. Mr. Trumps positions vacillate daily. And members of both parties are divided. Some Democrats are pressing for confrontation, while others seem to fear a political backlash. Some Republicans are searching for compromise against a conservative tide of anti-immigrant fervor. Lorella Praeli, the director of immigration policy and campaigns at the American Civil Liberties Union, described the House legislation as a collection of hard-line provisions designed to sabotage, rather than advance, the possibility of a bipartisan breakthrough. It was not clear if the proposal would ever come up for a vote in the House, especially after Tuesdays White House meeting established the parameters for a bipartisan deal. And it is all but certain to have no future in the Senate, where immigration legislation would need 60 votes for passage and therefore could not make it through the chamber with only Republican support. The immigration debate on Capitol Hill grew more complicated after a federal judge ruled Tuesday that, for now, the Trump administration could not end the DACA program. The judge, Judge William Alsup of Federal District Court in San Francisco, wrote that the administration must maintain the DACA program on a nationwide basis while lawsuits challenging the decision to end the program move ahead. Mr. Trump lashed out on Twitter, saying that the United States court system was broken and unfair, and members of both parties and immigration activists struggled to understand the legal and political implications of the judges ruling. Officials at the Department of Homeland Security, which administers the program for young immigrants, said they are preparing to follow the order even as they await possible action by the Justice Department to appeal the ruling in the days ahead. WASHINGTON In a notable back flip, the Trump administration has decided that maybe the Obama administration was right in its efforts to change the way doctors and hospitals are paid under Medicare. The Trump administration said late Tuesday that it was starting a Medicare payment model very similar to the ones it canceled and curtailed last year. The Obama administration devised the earlier projects using authority in the Affordable Care Act. In the new program, as described by Trump appointees, Medicare will make a single bundled payment for nearly all the services provided in a 90-day period to certain Medicare patients who are admitted to a hospital or have certain outpatient medical procedures. Health care providers can receive a bonus if they hold Medicare spending for these patients below a target set by the government, and they may have to repay the government if Medicare spending for them exceeds the target. WASHINGTON Remember the infamous Bridge to Nowhere? The Montana Sheep Institute or the now-shuttered North Carolina teapot hall of fame? Congress years ago eliminated funding for these types of pet projects, known as earmarks, after they became derided as government boondoggles, largess and a pathway to corruption. President Trump now wants to bring them back. In a freewheeling meeting about immigration with congressional Republicans and Democrats this week, Mr. Trump lamented the gridlock that has gripped the capital in recent years and suggested that earmarks, the practice of stealthily stuffing funding for pet projects into legislation, be exhumed from the legislative graveyard. Our system lends itself to not getting things done, and I hear so much about earmarks the old earmark system how there was a great friendliness when you had earmarks, Mr. Trump said Tuesday. Maybe all of you should start thinking about going back to a form of earmarks. The idea of using the girls restroom was humiliating and there was no way I could do it, he said in a court document filed in August 2016. If I were to use the gender-neutral restrooms, I would also stand out from everyone else with a big label on me that said transgender. He described feeling scrutinized and degraded when administrators repeatedly tried to keep him out of the boys restrooms, or when they used female pronouns after he had asked them not to. He added that he suffered from anxiety, depression, migraines and other health problems related to dehydration because he had tried to avoid restroom trips by drinking less water. A Federal District Court judge granted an injunction that allowed Mr. Whitaker to use boys bathrooms during his senior year. The school district appealed that decision to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. The districts lawyers argued in part that a student cannot unilaterally declare their gender then demand that they be treated like all others in that sex classification. But the appeals court judges upheld the injunction in May 2017. The school district then filed a petition to appeal that ruling to the United States Supreme Court. But on Tuesday, the school board voted 5 to 2 to pay an $800,000 settlement to Mr. Whitaker instead and to withdraw its petition, according to The Kenosha News. Mr. Whitaker, in a statement emailed by the Transgender Law Center, which represented him, said he was deeply relieved that the court case was over and he could focus on being a college student. Winning this case was so empowering and made me feel like I can actually do something to help other trans youth live authentically, he said. VATICAN CITY The Vatican on Wednesday took over a Peru-based Catholic movement whose founder has been accused of abusing its members sexually, physically and psychologically, just days before Pope Francis starts a trip to Chile and Peru. A Vatican statement said the congregation for religious orders had issued a decree naming a commissioner to take over the Sodalitium Christianae Vitae, a conservative movement that has about 20,000 members and chapters throughout South America and the United States. The move came just weeks after Peruvian prosecutors announced that they were seeking the arrest of Sodalitiums founder, Luis Figari. Investigators have described him as a paranoid narcissist obsessed with sex and watching his underlings endure pain and humiliation. The pope is expected to have to contend with the churchs sexual abuse scandal during his visit from Jan. 15 to Jan. 21, with protests planned amid recent revelations in Chile about the scandal there. On Wednesday, the online database BishopAccountability.org released research it said showed that 78 priests or members of religious orders had been credibly accused or convicted in Chile. BRUSSELS A Belgian officials decision to expel several Sudanese migrants late last year several of whom say they were tortured when they went back home has roiled Belgiums politics, reflecting not only the fraught migration debate in Western Europe but also the divisions that have made the country notoriously difficult to govern. The official, Theo Francken, is a 39-year-old Flemish nationalist who in 2014 was appointed secretary of state for asylum and migration. He is known for making incendiary comments about migrants; in September, he apologized for using the term cleaning up about a police operation in which several undocumented immigrants were arrested. The term was condemned as xenophobic. Supporters and critics alike have called Mr. Francken the Flemish Trump. Last September, Mr. Francken invited several Sudanese officials to Belgium to review the cases of dozens of Sudanese people who were in the country without authorization. The decision outraged advocates for the migrants, who pointed to Sudans abysmal human rights record and the fact that its president, Omar al-Bashir, is wanted by the International Criminal Court for trial on war crimes and genocide charges. Representatives of the Belgian government were present during most of the interviews, but were not always accompanied by Arabic-language interpreters, raising the possibility that they did not follow all of what was said. Lawyers for the migrants said the Sudanese officials warned that if the migrants applied for asylum in Belgium but were denied and sent home, they would be targeted for abuse. Our guide to new art shows and some that will be closing soon. AI WEIWEI: GOOD FENCES MAKE GOOD NEIGHBORS at Washington Square Park, Doris C. Freedman Plaza and throughout New York City (through Feb. 11, 2018). A public disruption by Chinas most important contemporary artist comprises large steel cages uptown and downtown, chain-link fences behind bus stops from Harlem to the Bronx, protective netting around Corona Parks Unisphere, and hundreds of portraits of refugees on lampposts. Mr. Ai is also a refugee he fled to Berlin in 2015 and by now there is no untangling his art and his activism. (Jason Farago) Installation sites are at publicartfund.org LOUISE BOURGEOIS: AN UNFOLDING PORTRAIT at the Museum of Modern Art (through Jan. 28, 2018). The artists frequently handworked prints provide the through line in this compact yet vivid survey. Organized thematically, it moves over six decades in light, circling rhythms, revisiting primordial themes of family and betrayal while incorporating occasional paintings and several sculptures. Ms. Bourgeoiss final efforts resemble an environmental painting, tinged with love and blood. (Roberta Smith) 212-708-9400, moma.org NEW YORK CERAMICS AND GLASS FAIR AT THE BOHEMIAN NATIONAL HALL At the 19th annual fair, running Jan. 18-21 with a preview on Jan. 17, both old and new works will be celebrated. Visitors can see a two-foot-tall Monkey Jug, representing the KwaZulu-Natal region of South Africa, that was sculpted in 2017, and the recent Pouring Pot With Green Spout by the potter Mike Helke. But older pieces will also be on display, including tobacco leaf pattern plates from 18th-century China and porcelain chargers from the Dutch East India Company that date from 1670-1720. Some 30 exhibitors will be on hand. Among their displays will be 18th- and early 19th-century gold and paste jewelry, and works from the contemporary artists Martha Rieger, above, and Katherine Houston. A lecture program is also part of the fair. (Peter Libbey) nyceramicsandglass.com TRIGGER: GENDER AS A TOOL AND A WEAPON at the New Museum (through Jan. 21, 2018). With transgender rights in the news, this big group show on the concepts of trans and queer in art is ideally timed. A difficulty is that queer, and to some extent trans, are hard to capture, institutionally. They dont sit still. Trans is defined by the idea that the boundaries of gender (and race, and class) are porous, and that crossings in any direction are negotiable. Queer is even more category-averse. Its not so much a personal identity as a political impulse, a strategy for thwarting assimilation and sowing constructive chaos. Still, some excellent artists are on hand to tackle the subjects, which venture into trans-species territory with the artist Nayland Blakes bearlike fursona named Gnomen. A Basquiat is coming back to Brooklyn. Starting Jan. 26, the Brooklyn-born graffiti artist Jean-Michel Basquiats 1982 skull painting Untitled will be on view at the Brooklyn Museum through March 11. The work caused something of a stir when the Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa paid $110.5 million for it at Sothebys last year, making the painting the sixth most expensive work ever sold at auction at the time. As I explained when I successfully bought the work, my hope is that art becomes more accessible to a wider audience, and not just enjoyed by a select few, Mr. Maezawa said in a statement to The New York Times. Therefore, it is with great excitement that I begin the journey of sharing this masterpiece particularly with young people who will carry us forward into the future. Mr. Maezawa is supporting the show, One Basquiat billed as the first museum exhibition of the painting as well as public programming around it. The free festival, now in its sixth year, includes a program for children (with free comics); a screening of White Scripts and Black Supermen; and panel discussions about social justice and representation in comics, the influence of Black Panther and black geekdom in the age of social media. Writers and artists include Sheena C. Howard, the author of Encyclopedia of Black Comics, and Dawud Anyabwile, a creator of the Brotherman series. They will join Mr. Heredia, whose love for comics led to his career in animation. He recently discussed Heroes of Color during a recent phone interview. These are edited excerpts from that conversation. What are you looking forward to at the festival? My main objective is to encourage students to tell their stories. Every single one of them has met someone or has someone in their life right now who can be considered a hero for whatever obstacles they have overcome. The best writing advice is to tell the story you want to hear first. Dont worry about telling a story you think people want to hear. It wont come out as powerful. How did Heroes of Color come about? I came up with the idea in 2015. By that time, I had my own small company, Heredia Designs. I was doing animation for Pearson, the educational company. I was creating two-minute shorts, which were covering the Common Core standards of math and English. They had hired me to do 300 short animated videos. I remember the final four characters of the videos were one Asian, one black, one Latino and one white kid. It cemented the importance of representation and planted a seed for what I wanted to see. IMMIGRANT JAM at Q.E.D. (Jan. 18, 7:30 p.m.). The German-born comedian Lucie Pohl hosts this regular night of stand-up, storytelling and characters to celebrate being from somewhere else. Immigrant as well as nonimmigrant performers are invited to participate, as long as the material is centered around the theme of immigration and the accents are funny. 347-451-3873, qedastoria.com SISTERS OF COMEDY at Carolines on Broadway (Jan. 17, 7:30 p.m.). Agunda Okeyo heads up this comedy show, which is New Yorks longest-running to feature black women at its center. This month she hosts an anniversary show, celebrating four years of the series. The lineup includes Sasheer Zamata, of Saturday Night Live fame, the comedian Janelle James and several others. 212-757-4100, carolines.com THUG PASSION PRESENTS at Union Hall (Jan. 14, 8 p.m.). At some point not too long ago, comedians Shalewa Sharpe and Courtney Fearrington realized they shared a love for underrated black movies or, as they put it, the films that are commonly known as hood classics. Each month, the pair hosts a table reading of one of these classics. This installment takes on Belly, the 1998 crime drama directed by Hype Williams, starring DMX and Nas, with a cast comprising Nore Davis of 2 Dope Queens, the Saturday Night Live writer Sam Jay, and others. 718-638-4400, unionhallny.com Our guide to dance performances. AMERICAN DANCE PLATFORM at the Joyce Theater (Jan. 12 at 8 p.m.; Jan. 13 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Jan. 14 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.). This festival, programmed by Christine Tschida, the director of Northrop at the University of Minnesota, wraps up this weekend with programs featuring shared performances. The newest pairing explores rhythm and showcases Ensemble Espanol Spanish Theater, which performs flamenco and folkloric dance, and Trinity Irish Dance Company. Other programs offer classic modern dance by Philadanco! alongside hula by Halau O Kekuhi; Jessica Lang Dance with, in its Joyce debut, Backhausdance; and BODYTRAFFIC with the tap ensemble Caleb Teicher and Company. 212-242-0800, joyce.org AMERICAN REALNESS 2018 at various locations (through Jan. 16). This jam-packed festival shines a spotlight on innovative dance and performance. Highlights include the Jan. 12 premiere of Michael Portnoys Relational Stalinism the Musical, which was born from, as press notes state, dancers in museums moaning and leaning against walls, pestering visitors with boilerplate philosophical questions and busting their kneecaps on punishing concrete floors. (Well put.) Also opening this weekend are Everything Fits In the Room, by Simone Aughterlony and Jen Rosenblit, with Miguel Gutierrez and Colin Self on sound, and (do not) despair solo, a performance-lecture by Marissa Perel that explores choreography, disability, queerness and intimacy. 646-837-6809, americanrealness.com ASTANA BALLET THEATER at Alice Tully Hall (Jan. 17). This company hails from the Republic of Kazakhstan and presents a free program: Kazakhstan Astana Ballet Gala. Along with Heritage of the Great Steppe, a work made up of sections from traditional ballets, the engagement showcases two works by Ricardo Amarante. Love Fear Loss is choreographed to the songs of Edith Piaf and inspired by her life, while A Fuego Lento takes a look at first love. 212-707-8566, lincolncenter.org Virginia Commonwealth University, poised to open its new Institute of Contemporary Art in Richmond on April 21, announced on Thursday that its inaugural director, Lisa Freiman, has stepped down, effective immediately. Since 2013, Ms. Freiman has steered the vision for the citys first institution dedicated to contemporary art. She has completed a $37 million capital campaign and overseen construction of its angular glass-and-zinc-clad building, designed by Steven Holl Architects, in a city the former capitol of the confederacy known for its historic red-brick architecture and monuments. In a news release by the university, Ms. Freiman said, I would like to turn my attention to some projects that I had to put on hold, including a monograph on the sculptor Claes Oldenburg. She will remain a tenured faculty member of the V.C.U. School of Arts. The provost and vice president for academic affairs at V.C.U., Gail Hackett, said: We especially appreciate how Lisa advanced the universitys commitment to diversity and inclusion in the arts and worked to integrate the strategic goals of the university into the I.C.A. Both Ms. Freiman and the university declined to comment further. Ms. Freiman came to I.C.A. from the Indianapolis Museum of Art, where she had been a senior curator and chair of the contemporary art department. In a 2016 interview, Ms. Freiman said she hoped the I.C.A. can become a forum for sometimes difficult conversations, using art as a catalyst for broader discussions about the state of our country and about the world. The small Bronx Museum of the Arts regularly hits above its weight. It is doing so again with Gordon Matta-Clark: Anarchitect, a streamlined exhibition of the work of this insurrectionary artist. The show creates a remarkably full picture of an irrepressible and unfailingly D.I.Y. maverick who is revered as one of the prime movers in the juggernaut of Conceptual, Process and Performance art that emerged in the late 1960s and 70s. With a range that few of his peers equaled, Matta-Clark contributed to all of these genres. He and his twin brother, John Sebastian, were born in New York to the Chilean Surrealist painter Roberto Matta and Anne Clark, an American artist and fashion designer. The parents separated shortly after their birth, and the boys were raised primarily in Greenwich Village by their mother. Matta-Clark (1943-1978) studied architecture at Cornell University, and evolved into a kind of urban land artist who used his skills to reshape and transform architecture into an art of structural explication and spatial revelation. He is best known for cutting up derelict buildings scheduled for demolition, turning them into giant temporary installations or extracting fragments from them that he then exhibited as sculpture. NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC at David Geffen Hall (Jan. 17, 7:30 p.m., through Jan. 20). Joshua Weilerstein, formerly a Philharmonic assistant conductor, returns to the podium as a replacement for the disgraced Charles Dutoit, and leads an all-Ravel program. Inevitably it ends with the Bolero, but on the way there is Le Tombeau de Couperin and the Valses nobles et sentimentales, as well as the Piano Concerto for the Left Hand, played by Jean-Yves Thibaudet. 212-875-5656, nyphil.org ROYAL CONCERTGEBOUW ORCHESTRA at Carnegie Hall (Jan. 17-18, 8 p.m.). Daniele Gattis appointment as the chief conductor of the Netherlands foremost orchestra has made a great deal of sense: he and his players share a specialty in music from the Wagner-to-Mahler period. Thats the focus here. On Wednesday, a typical Gatti program: the third-act prelude and Good Friday Music from Wagners Parsifal prefaces Bruckners Symphony No. 9. On Thursday, theres Mahlers Symphony No. 1, and the soloist Janine Jansen, a Perspectives artist this season, joins in for Bruchs Violin Concerto No. 1. 212-247-7800, carnegiehall.org TALEA ENSEMBLE at Flea Theater (Jan. 18, 7 p.m.). A clever program from a clever ensemble, one made up of homages by composers contemporary to composers past. Hear Pauline Oliveros Quintuplets Play Pen: Homage to Ruth Crawford, James Weeks Honey Celebration (a nod to Schubert), Oliver Knussens upon one note (looking to Purcell), and Kurtags Hommage a R. Sch. 866-811-4111, theflea.org Image The Grand Canyon gained national monument status 110 years ago today. Credit... Richard Perry/The New York Times The canyons path to national park status began in the 1880s, when Senator Benjamin Harrison of Indiana introduced several bills to designate it a public park, but without success. Later, as president, he made it a forest reserve. President Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed parts of it a federal game reserve, and then established it as a national monument on this day in 1908. Five years earlier, on his first visit to Arizona (then still a territory), Roosevelt said he could not describe the Grand Canyon and implored people to preserve it. You cannot improve on it; not a bit, he said. Like Roosevelt, the environmentalist John Muir was left at a loss for words by the canyons beauty, writing in 1902 that no artist could do justice to its colors: And if paint is of no effect, what hope lies in pen-work? Only this: Some may be incited by it to go and see for themselves. Jennifer Jett contributed reporting. _____ Your Morning Briefing is published weekdays at 6 a.m. Eastern and updated all morning. Browse past briefings here. If photographs appear out of order, please download the updated New York Times app from iTunes or Google Play. What would you like to see here? Contact us at briefing@nytimes.com. You can get the briefing delivered to your inbox Sunday through Friday. We have four global editions, timed for the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia, and an Evening Briefing on weeknights. Check out our full range of free newsletters here. Wow. That is one determined baby sea turtle. On a beach right after hatching, that would be called a crawling frenzy. In a lab, on a little treadmill made from a belt sander, its a test of stamina. Researchers want to know if more time spent crawling leaves the turtles tired when they reach the sea. Sea turtles hatch at night. In an ideal world, they scrabble down the beach toward the horizon over the water. Its brighter than the horizon over land. Then they swim for up to a day to get to the Gulf Stream. Thats in an ideal world with no city lights. If theyre on Floridas Atlantic coast, say near Boca Raton, there are lots of competing light sources. Many hatchlings get confused and just wander around, or they head straight for a bright building away from the sea. To test whether this extra wandering tired the babies out, researchers took 150 loggerhead and green sea turtle hatchlings to the lab and set them to crawling. Lured by a light at the front of the treadmill, they moved more than 500 yards, pausing now and then to rest. They could have given the turtles a longer track, except for one thing It just took so long that the turtle could do it, but the graduate student couldnt. After the treadmill, the turtles hit the pool, swimming in a small tank. To everyones surprise, they were just fine. Tests of blood and respiration showed that the babies were not tired out by the crawling. All those stops left them in good shape. But the lights are still a problem. Every extra minute on the beach leaves the babies exposed to predators raccoons, foxes, birds. And if theyre still on the beach when the sun comes up, theyre cooked. All of this is why Dr. Milton was pretty irritated by one particular house. It made me want to leave a note on their door hi, you are personally responsible for the disorientation of 60 turtles last night. So Boca Raton residents, and this means you. On an initial walk-through, this years CES electronics trade show was reminiscent of years past. Thousands of tech and gadget enthusiasts flooded the Las Vegas Convention Center for the four-day event, which began on Tuesday, to see the newest electronics that are being introduced on the market. And many new products were unveiled. Samsung highlighted a smart refrigerator with a large touch screen and voice controls. Huawei, the Chinese manufacturer, showed its first high-end smartphone for the United States. And LG demonstrated a TV that can be rolled up like a yoga mat. Marriott International, the hotel chain, wants to be clear on this point: It does not support separatist elements in China. Marriott is best known for its hospitality, not fomenting rebellion in the countries where it does business. Nevertheless, it apologized to the Chinese government on Thursday for the way it worded a customer survey wording that has spurred intense online criticism and a government investigation. The problem: The survey listed Tibet, a region of China, and Taiwan, an island it claims as its own, as separate countries, according to Chinese media reports. It also listed Hong Kong and Macau territories that are ruled by China as separate, according to the reports. The error is a common one, and easy to make, among companies that do business there. A simple website drop-down menu labeled countries can inadvertently bestow the nation label on places like Taiwan and Hong Kong. Silicon Valley has birthed many highly valued and hugely hyped start-ups in recent years, including Uber, Airbnb and Pinterest. Few of those companies have made it out onto the stock market successfully. Now Dropbox, the online file storage company that is part of Silicon Valleys closely watched pack of unicorns, plans to try its luck. The company has filed documents to go public, people briefed on the matter said on Thursday. If Dropbox last valued by private-market investors at about $10 billion follows through on an initial public offering, it will become one of the highest-profile technology companies of late to seek a stock market listing. The company is on track to join Spotify, the online streaming giant, on the public markets, with Uber, Lyft and Airbnb expected to follow suit in the next few years. Dropboxs filing has implications for other Silicon Valley unicorns, which are companies that were privately valued at more than $1 billion. Last year, several much buzzed-about tech companies, including Snapchats parent company and Blue Apron, the meal kit delivery service, went public and then promptly disappointed investors, raising questions about the durability of these businesses. A former editor at The New Republic revealed in a lengthy essay published late Wednesday that she had started the online list of men in the media industry accused of sexual harassment. The editor, Moira Donegan, said she created the Google spreadsheet in October to allow women in the media industry to put in writing what many of them had long discussed in private: the names of men to stay away from, including sexual harassers and abusers. Within hours of its creation, the list grew beyond her expectations, as women shared it with friends and co-workers who anonymously added new names and new accusations. What was going on there was clearly cathartic for the women who were using it, telling their stories, encouraging one another, saying that it had happened to them too, Ms. Donegan, 28, wrote on New York magazines website The Cut. They snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, Scott Galloway, a professor of marketing at New York Universitys Stern School of Business, said in an interview. Walmart made a smart move in increasing wages and investing in human capital. Where they screwed up was politicizing it. Since President Trump signed the tax law last month, a number of large companies including AT&T, Southwest Airlines and Wells Fargo have said they were using the savings to help their employees. On Thursday, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles announced that it would give a $2,000 bonus to 60,000 hourly and salaried employees. It is only proper that our employees share in the savings generated by tax reform, Sergio Marchionne, the companys chief executive, said in a statement. Walmart, which is the countrys single largest corporate taxpayer, said in a statement Thursday that it was still determining how much it would save as a result of the new law. Matt Gardner, a senior fellow at the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a nonprofit research group, said it was difficult to forecast precisely how much Walmart would save. But based on the companys average annual United States earnings over the past five years, he said, savings from the cut in the corporate tax rate alone could be roughly $2.2 billion a year, or 40 percent. He said the figure could be higher or lower depending on tax breaks the company might be losing, or new advantages in the treatment of capital investments and other provisions. Walmart said the wage increases and bonuses would cost the company roughly $700 million. Tax reform gives us the opportunity to be more competitive globally and to accelerate plans for the U.S., Walmarts chief executive, Doug McMillon, said in a statement. Still, many economists are skeptical that the tax cut will have a meaningful impact on wages. In an economic research memo released on Thursday, Goldman Sachs wrote that we expect no significant short-term effect of tax reform on average hourly earnings. Want the latest climate news in your inbox? You can sign up here to receive Climate Fwd:, our new email newsletter. Climate change has made severe cold spells like the one that recently gripped the Northeast far less common than they used to be, a team of researchers has found. The reason is straightforward: The Arctic has warmed so much twice as fast in recent decades than other parts of the world that when polar air descends to lower latitudes, the cold snaps are warmer on average. So a spell of extremely cold weather like the recent one is rare, about 15 times rarer than a century ago, the scientists said. Why does this matter? If electricity consumption is flat, then all the different sources of energy we use coal, natural gas, nuclear, solar, wind are locked in zero-sum competition with one another. If a new natural gas plant or wind farm goes up, something else has to get pushed off the grid. Thats exactly what weve seen. The rise of fracking has made natural gas incredibly cheap. Solar and wind, already subsidized by Congress, have seen their costs drop dramatically. As a result, coal and nuclear power are losing market share fast. Last fall, Energy Secretary Rick Perry proposed to slow this trend by shielding some coal and nuclear plants from market forces in order to protect the reliability and resiliency of our nations grid. His idea was fiercely opposed, partly because it was clumsy and legally dubious, but also because propping up coal plants would only hurt natural gas and renewable energy. Those industries made their displeasure known. (On Monday, federal regulators rejected Mr. Perrys proposal.) You see this zero-sum competition pop up everywhere. Some states have worried that letting their nuclear plants retire in favor of natural gas would increase greenhouse gas emissions. Many lawmakers have proposed subsidies to keep those reactors running. But in states like Pennsylvania, the gas industry has lobbied hard against this idea. And some local utilities have fought policies that encourage homeowners to install solar panels on their roofs, not least because it would cut into their own already-stagnating sales. Economists have long argued that theres a simple solution to this mess: Lets just price greenhouse gas emissions to account for the damage caused by global warming (say, with a carbon tax) and then let the market sort out the appropriate energy mix. But, of course, the United States doesnt have a carbon tax instead we have a complicated patchwork of energy policies that are endlessly tweaked and lobbied over. And now that electricity use has stopped growing quickly, everyones left fighting over crumbs. Id say its our national cocktail, he said. You get the odd person who doesnt like them. Should you find yourself in a town without bars or restaurants, dont worry. Many Canadian homes can provide emergency Caesar service. Caesars taste like home, said Christian McPhee, 45, who lives in Toronto and does information technology work in the financial industry. Its like comfort food for Canadians. For as long as I can remember, Caesars have been a part of my familys get-togethers. My grandmother was the first I remember in my family always having them. My family had them at every beach bonfire, Canada Day celebration, long weekend and Sunday brunch. Theyve always been there, he added. Well, not quite always. The generally accepted history is that the drink was invented in 1969 in Calgary, Alberta, by a restaurant manager named Walter Chell. (There is, however, evidence of similar clam-and-tomato-juice drinks that predate it. The drinks most obvious antecedent is the Bloody Mary, which has a longer history, though the Canadians interviewed for this article tend to think of that American favorite as a poor and distinctly less tasty relation.) The insurer also denied some of the claims from a colonoscopy she had because she was at high risk for cancer, according to the lawsuit. Ms. Harvey successfully appealed many of the denials to state regulators, the lawsuit said. The lawsuit comes on the heels of a decision last month by Washington State regulators to fine Centene up to $1.5 million for having an insufficient network of doctors to treat people who signed up for plans sold under the Affordable Care Act. State officials said they received more than 140 complaints from people who had trouble finding a doctor, particularly a specialist like an anesthesiologist, who accepted the insurance or from individuals who received a surprise bill after they received treatment. In a statement about the consent order the company reached with the state to be allowed to continue selling policies for 2018, Centene said it was committed to addressing known issues in our network in select regions of the state and said it had taken actions to make sure its customers had access to services. The company announced this week that it now covers more than 1.4 million people through the state marketplaces, with its chief executive, Michael F. Neidorff, describing its growth in the market as so dramatic. Centene attributes some of its success to its experience providing care under the Medicaid program or in its low-cost networks. Steven A. Milman, a periodontist in Round Rock, Tex., who is one of the plaintiffs, signed up for an Affordable Care Act plan from Centene last year. He and his wife paid about $1,200 a month. Dr. Milman had a previous policy from UnitedHealth Group. They had a good panel of doctors and easy access, Dr. Milman said in a telephone interview. But UnitedHealth lost money in the market and stopped selling policies. Choosing between the local Blue Cross plan and one offered by Centene, Dr. Milman picked Centene after seeing that its network included a large medical group in Austin and getting recommendations for several doctors at that group. I bought Centene on that promise, he said. But Dr. Milman soon found out finding a doctor within the network was much harder than he anticipated. The medical group he had picked was no longer in the network. When he called the doctors office assigned to him by Centene, it turned out to be a obstetrician/gynecologist. The Cherokee Nation cannot sue opioid distributors and pharmacies in its own tribal court, a federal judge in Oklahoma said late Tuesday, halting the first attempt by a Native American tribe to recover damages for the widespread harm inflicted by prescription drugs. While the judge said he was sympathetic to the Cherokees efforts to stem the deadly proliferation of opioids, his ruling only addressed whether the tribe had jurisdiction to sue. In a 25-page decision, Judge Terence Kirn concluded the lawsuit does not meet narrow Supreme Court exceptions that define when a tribe can sue nonmembers in its own court. Since the Cherokee brought their suit in April, other tribes have begun to sue distributors and manufacturers, but in federal court. We absolutely believe that we had jurisdiction in tribal court, said Chrissi Ross Nimmo, deputy attorney general for the Cherokee. Its disappointing that non-Indians can come into a tribal community and decimate it, and not be held to answer in that communitys court system. Join us on Jan. 22 for a live event at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. Jodi Kantor, one of the Times reporters who broke the Harvey Weinstein story, and Charles Blow, a Times opinion columnist, will discuss the new era in media with Garrett Bradley, a filmmaker. While many of our cultures foundational stories have been controlled by white men, women and minorities are now stepping up to tell their own stories and take the reins of distribution. Our panelists will explore what the future holds. What advice have you gotten from your parents, teachers, counselors or other responsible adults in your life about sexting? In Teenagers, Stop Asking for Nude Photos, Lisa Damour writes: Teenagers are drafted into a sexual culture that rests on a harmful premise: On the heterosexual field, boys typically play offense and girls play defense. This problematic framework underlies the findings of a new study that documents, in alarming detail, girls reports of the common coercive practices boys use to solicit nude digital photographs. An analysis of nearly 500 accounts from 12- to 18-year-old girls about their negative experiences with sexting found that over two-thirds had been asked for explicit images. The majority described facing intense pressure that often began with promises of affection and discretion in exchange for nudes, before accelerating to persistent requests, anger displays, harassment and threats. The study drew from comments posted between 2010 and 2016 on A Thin Line, MTVs campaign against sexting, cyber bullying and digital dating abuse. As one research participant explained about being pressured by her boyfriend, with the shorthand and spelling errors of a texting teenager: my bf preaused me for hours to send him pictures of me naked. Now he threarens to send them out if i dont send hin more really nasty pics. The stuff i have to do is unbelievable. im 14. Other research has found that while both boys and girls send naked images, boys are nearly four times as likely to pressure girls to send sexts as girls are to pressure boys to do so. In the wider culture, it appears we have suddenly come to the limit of our tolerance for the sexualized abuse of power by adult men. A logical next step is to recalibrate some of the toxic norms that have taken hold among teenagers. Most schools and many parents already tell teenagers not to send sexualized selfies. But why dont we also tell adolescents to stop asking for nude photos from one another? Students: Read the entire article, then tell us: To what extent do the experiences with sexting described by teenagers in the article resemble your own experiences? The experiences of your friends? Were you aware of the social and legal consequences of sending and asking for sexually explicit photos from minors? Which consequences surprised you most and why? Do the gender dynamics described in the article, in which girls are more likely to feel pressure to send sexualized selfies than boys are, ring true to you? Do you think girls and boys get different messages about their sexuality from society? What advice do you think parents, teachers, counselors and other responsible adults should give teenagers about sexting? Should they set rules about asking for and sending nude photos? If so, what should they be? If not, why not? What kinds of support do you think would be most helpful for teenagers who are dealing with sexting-related issues? One of the last official acts of New Jerseys outgoing governor, Chris Christie, may be to have his cash-strapped statewide transit agency pay about $12 million to buy a maintenance facility for boats that it does not have. New Jersey Transit, the much-maligned operator of commuter trains and buses, wants to acquire the only remaining dry docks in Hoboken for the exclusive use of a privately held ferry company, New York Waterway. If the agency goes through with the purchase, it will do so over the strenuous objections of Hobokens new mayor, Ravinder S. Bhalla, and his predecessor, Dawn Zimmer, who is a member of the transition team of Mr. Christies successor, Philip D. Murphy. Mr. Murphy, a Democrat, has chosen a commissioner of transportation who will chair the board of directors of New Jersey Transit as of next week. But that may be a few days too late for the plans opponents, many of whom want the waterfront site turned into a public park. The agencys board had been scheduled to vote on the purchase on Wednesday morning, but that meeting was abruptly canceled and rescheduled, first for Friday and then for Monday, which will be Mr. Christies last full day as governor and is a state holiday. The postponement provided Mr. Bhalla and his allies with an additional 48 hours to try to block a sale that they say is a political favor to a successful company and an attempt to circumvent Hobokens ability to decide how land within its borders should be used. Posted Thursday, January 4, 2018 1:32 pm Events must be entered through the calendar at lansingcitypulse.com. Deadline is 5 p.m. Wednesdays for the following weeks issue. Charges may apply for paid events to appear in print. If you need assistance, please call Ella at (517) 999-6704. JAN. 6 >> WILL GOODALES MEMORIAL FOUNDATION FUNDRAISER The Will Goodale Memorial Foundation honors the memory of the child Will Goodale, who died November 2015. The foundation honors his name by providing scholarships to students entering police academy, as Will Goodale dreamed of being a police officer at 10 years old. The event will be held at City Limits Bowling Center and will feature: pizza, soda, bowling and a balloon release. There is a contact for more information about the event and how you can support the foundation listed below. 15 p.m. at City Limits Bowling Center, 5290 M-78, Haslett, Contact: will@shanegoodale.com JAN. 5>> HOMEGROWN THROWDOWN ROUND I Homegrown Throwdown returns for its 15th year. Homegrown Throwdown 2018 is sponsored by Lansing rock radio station Q106. The Throwdown will feature 24 bands over five nights. Bands will be competing for a trove of prizes including cash and studio time. Round 1 will feature: Revolution in Progress, The Amber Tide, Some Peoples Kids, the 89th Key, Iejir and Suits and Daggers 6:3011:30 p.m. at the Loft, Admission: $10, 414 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing, theloftlansing.com JAN. 12>>LANSING BOARD GAMERS MEETUP Lansing board gamers will have a chance to meet fellow enthusiasts at Summit Comics & Games in downtown Lansing. The evening will feature an opportunity to play some of your favorite games with players both familiar and new. 29 p.m. at Summit Comics & Games, 216 Washington Square S. B, Lansing, www.summitlansing.com Wednesday, January 3 Classes-and-Seminars Free Photography Clinic. From 6 to 9 p.m. FREE!!!. First Presbyterian Church, 510 W. Ottawa St. Lansing. (517) 482-0668. Mindfulness. From 7 to 9 p.m. Chua Van Hanh Temple, 3015 S. Washington Lansing. MSU International Student Speaker- Senior Discovery Group . From 10 a.m. to noon free. Allen Market Place, 6129 E. Kalamazoo St. Lansing. Events Apps That Make Your Life Better (Adults). From 6 to 7 p.m. FREE. Capital Area District Libraries South Lansing Branch, 3500 S. Cedar St. Lansing. 517-272-9840. Kids Reading to Dogs (Age 6 & up). From 4 to 5 p.m. FREE. Capital Area District Libraries Haslett Branch, 1590 Franklin St. Haslett. 517-339-2324. Lansing Coat Bank. From 5:30 to 8 p.m. FREE. St. Lukes Lutheran Church, 122 S. Pennyslvania Ave. Lansing. 517-339-9119. Practice Your English. From 7 to 8 p.m. FREE. East Lansing Public Library, 950 Abbot Road East Lansing. (517) 351-2420. Thursday, January 4 Classes-and-Seminars (TOPS) Take Off Pounds Sensibly . At 6 p.m. First meeting FREE.. Haslett Middle School, 1535 Franklin St. Haslett. Events *Crafternoons for Kids--Snowman Mobile (Ages 5?10). From 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. FREE. Capital Area District Libraries Mason Branch, 145 W. Ash St. Mason. 517-676-9088. *Introduction to Financial Planning--Part 1 (Adults). From 6 to 7 p.m. FREE. Capital Area District Libraries South Lansing Branch, 3500 S. Cedar St. Lansing. 517-272-9840. Capital Area Audubon Society . From 7 to 9 p.m. FREE. Fenner Nature Center, 2020 E. Mount Hope Ave. Lansing. (517) 483-4224. Drop-in LEGO Club (Age 4 & up). From 3:15 to 4:30 p.m. FREE. Capital Area District Libraries Webberville Branch, 115 South Main Street Webberville. 517.521.3643. Family Storytime (Held at Whole Foods Market East Lansing). From 10 to 11 a.m. FREE. Capital Area District Libraries Okemos Branch, 4321 Okemos Road Okemos. 517.347.2021. Ladies Silver Blades Figure Skating Club . From 9:30 to 11:20 a.m. $5 and yearly dues fee. Suburban Ice, 2810 Hannah Blvd. East Lansing. Spanish Conversation Group. From 7 to 8 p.m. FREE. East Lansing Public Library, 950 Abbot Road East Lansing. (517) 351-2420. Friday, January 5 Classes-and-Seminars Picture This!. From 7 to 9:30 p.m. $28/$50 for two. Reach Studio Art Center, 1804 S. Washington Ave. Lansing. (517) 999-3643. Events *Video Game Night (Ages 8-18). From 5 to 7 p.m. FREE. Capital Area District Libraries Holt-Delhi Branch, 2078 Aurelius Road Holt. 517.694.9351. Arts Featured Artist Friday with Katherine Hagman. From 7 to 10 p.m. Free!. American Fifth Spirits, 112 N Larch St Lansing. 517.999.2631. Saturday, January 6 Events *Code Club. From 2 to 3:30 p.m. FREE. Capital Area District Libraries Haslett Branch, 1590 Franklin St. Haslett. 517-339-2324. *Reading with the Animals (All ages). From 2 to 3 p.m. FREE. Capital Area District Libraries Mason Branch, 145 W. Ash St. Mason. 517-676-9088. Family Day at the Broad. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. FREE. Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum, 547 E. Circle Drive, MSU Campus East Lansing. Lansing Coat Bank. From 1 to 4 p.m. FREE. St. Lukes Lutheran Church, 122 S. Pennyslvania Ave. Lansing. 517-339-9119. Arts Family Day: Collect, presented by Farm Bureau Insurance. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. free. Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum, 547 E. Circle Drive, MSU Campus East Lansing. Sunday, January 7 Classes-and-Seminars Juggling. From 2 to 4 p.m. FREE. Orchard Street Pumphouse, 368 Orchard St. East Lansing. Holidays White Stone Ceremony. From 10:30 a.m. to noon Unity Spiritual Center of Lansing, 230 S. Holmes Lansing. 517-371-3010. Events First Sunday Gallery Walk Artist Reception (All ages). From 2 to 4 p.m. FREE. Capital Area District Libraries Okemos Branch, 4321 Okemos Road Okemos. 517.347.2021. Arts Virginia Artis Artist Reception. From 3 to 5 p.m. free. EagleMonk Pub & Brewery, 4906 W. Mount Hope Highway Lansing. Monday, January 8 Classes-and-Seminars Detox (& Weight Loss) Seminar. From 6:30 to 8 p.m. FREE. Rassel-Daigneault Family Chiropractic, 537 N. Clippert St. Lansing. Marketing Mondays: Learn to Network Like a Pro. From 12 to 1 p.m. Free - To Register Call: (517) 483- 1921. Small Business Development Center, LCC, 309 N. Washington Sq. Suite 110 Lansing. Literature-and-Poetry BabyTime. From 10:30 to 11 a.m. FREE. East Lansing Public Library, 950 Abbot Road East Lansing. (517) 351-2420. Better Living Book Club. At 7 p.m. FREE. East Lansing Public Library, 950 Abbot Road East Lansing. (517) 351-2420. Theater Monday Movie Matinee. At 1 p.m. FREE. East Lansing Public Library, 950 Abbot Road East Lansing. (517) 351-2420. Events French Club. From 7 to 8 p.m. FREE. East Lansing Public Library, 950 Abbot Road East Lansing. (517) 351-2420. Tuesday, January 9 Literature-and-Poetry Books on Tap Book Club. At 6:30 p.m. FREE. Jimmy's Pub, 16804 Chandler Road East Lansing. (517) 324- 7100. ToddlerTime. From 10:30 to 11 a.m. FREE. East Lansing Public Library, 950 Abbot Road East Lansing. (517) 351-2420. Music Jazz Tuesdays at Moriarty's. From 7 to 10 p.m. FREE. Moriarty's Pub, 802 E. Michigan Ave. Lansing. (517) 485-5287. Events DIY Fidget Spinners (Age 13 & up). From 4 to 5:30 p.m. FREE. Capital Area District Libraries Williamston Branch, 201 School Street Williamston. 517.655.1191. Mid-day Movies (Adults). From 2 to 4:30 p.m. FREE. Capital Area District Libraries Downtown Lansing Branch, 401 South Capitol Avenue Lansing. 517-367- 6363. Reminisce Group (Adults). From 2 to 3 p.m. FREE. Capital Area District Libraries Aurelius Branch, 1939 South Aurelius Road Mason. 517.628.3743. STEAM Club. From 4 to 5 p.m. FREE. East Lansing Public Library, 950 Abbot Road East Lansing. (517) 351-2420. TED Talk Tuesday (Adults). From 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. FREE. Capital Area District Libraries Okemos Branch, 4321 Okemos Road Okemos. 517.347.2021. Tuesday Book Group (Adults). From 1 to 2 p.m. FREE. Capital Area District Libraries Foster Branch, 200 North Foster Lansing. 517.485.5185. Wednesday, January 10 Classes-and-Seminars Open Studio Life Drawing. From 7 to 9:30 p.m. Model fee: $2 students (LCC, MSU, High School), $5 all others.. Kresge Art Center, 600 Auditorium East Lansing. Starting a Business. From 9 to 11 a.m. Free: To register, call (517) 483-1921. Small Business Development Center, LCC, 309 N. Washington Sq. Suite 110 Lansing. Literature-and-Poetry Bookworms at the Broad. From 1 to 2 p.m. FREE. Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum, 547 E. Circle Drive, MSU Campus East Lansing. Bookworms at the Broad: Collecting. From 1 to 2 p.m. free. Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum, 547 E. Circle Drive, MSU Campus East Lansing. Greenthumbs StoryTime. From 10:30 to 11 a.m. FREE. East Lansing Public Library, 950 Abbot Road East Lansing. (517) 351-2420. MSU Creative Writing Center Group. From 7 to 8 p.m. FREE. East Lansing Public Library, 950 Abbot Road East Lansing. (517) 351-2420. Music Sing-a-long with Alan Bloomfield- Senior Discovery Group. From 10 a.m. to noon free. Allen Market Place, 1629 E. Kalamazoo St. Lansing. Events *Early Literacy Playtime (Ages 1?5). From 10 to 10:30 a.m. FREE. Capital Area District Libraries Foster Branch, 200 North Foster Lansing. 517.485.5185. Family Storytime (Ages up to 6). From 11:15 a.m. to noon FREE. Capital Area District Libraries Webberville Branch, 115 South Main Street Webberville. 517.521.3643. Raising Little Ones Together. From 6 to 7 p.m. FREE. East Lansing Public Library, 950 Abbot Road East Lansing. (517) 351-2420. Dr. Richard Aslin, a founding member of the department who left Rochester in protest of the universitys handling of the investigation, said Mr. Seligmans resignation was evidence that the complainants actions were justified. Image Dr. T. Florian Jaeger, a professor in the Brain and Cognitive Sciences department, had been accused of sexual harassment by a number of students. Credit... University of Rochester We take no satisfaction in the disruption that this case has triggered, he said. But that disruption was the result not just of one faculty members behavior, but rather a systemic bias that put students at risk. Dr. Kidd, Dr. Aslin, five other current and former professors, and one graduate student jointly filed a complaint against the university with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in August. The complaint, and a federal lawsuit filed in December, said Dr. Jaeger had for years harassed and intimidated students and colleagues, and that administrators had punished professors who reported his behavior. In September, after weeks of student protests and demands that administrators resign, the universitys board of trustees announced that it had placed Dr. Jaeger on leave. (A university spokeswoman said on Thursday that his leave would continue.) It also hired Mary Jo White, a former chairwoman of the Securities and Exchange Commission and former United States attorney for the Southern District of New York, to reinvestigate the claims in the complaint. But the professors who had filed the federal complaint questioned Ms. Whites independence. None of the original complainants agreed to be interviewed by her, citing concerns about bias and their ongoing suit against the university. Ms. White defended the integrity of her investigation, adding that although she did not speak directly to the original complainants, she reviewed statements and correspondence they had previously provided to university officials. People feel, as they should, very strongly about these issues, Ms. White said in an interview. Its just really important to distinguish between allegations and proof. The former director of financial aid at Columbia Universitys Teachers College took $375,000 in kickbacks from three graduate students after arranging for them to receive inflated awards, the federal authorities said on Thursday. In one case, a student received nearly $600,000 in stipends between 2011 and 2017, and kicked back nearly $300,000 to the former administrator, Melanie Williams-Bethea, the authorities said. Checks from that student, Annice Kpana, were often written within days of when stipend funds were deposited into her account, and frequently included notations like Love or Thank you! in the memo line, according to a criminal complaint unsealed in Federal District Court in Manhattan. Ms. Kpana has been enrolled as a graduate student since 2007, but since at least 2010 she has not been taking classes or actively pursuing her degree, the complaint said. She was seeking a masters degree in education, it noted. ALBANY Until very recently, care packages for inmates in New York State prisons could contain a hodgepodge of items to let them know someone on the outside was thinking of them: a fresh apple, a hoodie, a dog-eared paperback. As of this month, all those things are no longer allowed. New Yorks prison system is testing a policy that would bar family members and friends from mailing their incarcerated loved ones a used book, or bringing fresh fruit and vegetables on a visit. They would instead be limited to the catalogs of a handful of state-approved vendors, through whom all packages for inmates would need to be ordered. The state corrections department, which introduced the policy as a pilot program in three prisons on Jan. 2, says it will help officers crack down on recent increases in package-room contraband. It plans to implement the policy statewide by the fall. But critics say the move would enrich a few private companies, and would limit prisoners to the catalogs paltry, price-inflated roster of TV dinners, potato chips and Scrabble dictionaries. A coalition of opponents, from the Legal Aid Society to PEN America to the New York-based National Supermarket Association, has rallied to denounce the policy and petition officials to reconsider. And Representative Joseph Crowley, the House Democratic caucus chairman from New York, urged that the restriction on books be reconsidered, citing their importance to inmates successful re-entry into society. For nearly five years, Brooklyns criminal-justice system has been engaged in an unprecedented project as prosecutors, judges and lawyers have pored over scores of cases connected to the former star detective Louis Scarcella looking for evidence of misconduct. After all this time, the investigation has become a kind of episodic drama, a real-life police procedural that has so far cleared the names of a dozen people convicted of murder. On Thursday, in the latest installment of the inquiry, a judge threw out the guilty verdict in another murder case that Mr. Scarcella worked on, saying that if the jury that considered the matter had known about the allegations against him at the time, it might have come to a different conclusion. The ruling by the judge came in the case of Sundhe Moses, a Brooklyn man found guilty in 1997 of killing a 4-year-old girl who roller-skated into a hail of bullets meant for members of a street gang operating at a public-housing project. Mr. Moses served 18 years in prison for killing the girl, Shamone Johnson, but was released on parole in 2013 after an eyewitness at his trial recanted his testimony. Since he was released, Mr. Moses has been trying to get his verdict formally reversed, in part by arguing, as he did at trial, that Mr. Scarcella choked and hit him to coerce a confession. In her order on Thursday, Justice Dineen A. Riviezzo said that while some of the claims against Mr. Scarcella seem far-fetched, the accumulation of accusations that he used improper tactics to send people to prison could have proved persuasive to the jury that convicted Mr. Moses. As a child growing up in Bulgaria, Guenadiy Lazarov was mesmerized by great accordionists tearing off serpentine melodies over uneven Balkan rhythms, as they played for tips at weddings and parties. The accordion was king there was a special respect for the instrument in our culture, said Mr. Lazarov, who runs one of the last accordion repair shops in the New York City area. The Accordion Gallery, his small showroom and repair shop in a nondescript house in New Jersey, is where many of todays accordion kings from polka stars to Charlie Giordano, an accordionist who plays with Bruce Springsteen go to have their instruments maintained and repaired. Mr. Lazarov began playing the accordion when he was 10 and continued to play professionally on the side even while pursuing a career in physics. Each Link has an interactive screen, which offers everyday information you might expect, like weather, local maps, and transit updates, as well as a connection to the citys 311 service. Through a partnership with the software program Aunt Bertha, however, users can anonymously search for nonprofit and social services. Links also offer free phone calls anywhere in the country; the system registers around 200,000 calls each month. The number dialed most frequently? The states hotline for its Electronic Benefits Transfer program, commonly known as food stamps. Since the system launched in early 2016, around 1,250 Links have been erected throughout all five boroughs. The company is aiming for a total of 7,500 Links by 2026, when its contract with the city is scheduled to expire. As the first system of its kind, LinkNYC has faced unforeseen difficulties. When the system was introduced, each Link offered an internet browser. But a slew of complaints of users camping out in front of the units and, in some cases, viewing inappropriate content, caused the system to remove that functionality. The systems biggest challenge is finding new locations, said Jen Hensley, the general manager of LinkNYC. The system is building a new fiber-optic network, but not every pay phone site is close enough to a manhole to connect to it. Alan Bleviss, a ubiquitous voice-over artist who could be heard in everything from presidential campaign ads to blockbuster film trailers and television commercials, died on Dec. 30 at his home in Manhattan. He was 76. His death was announced by his daughter Sarah Bleviss. He had lung cancer, she said. The Canadian-born Mr. Blevisss warm, sonorous voice was heard in countless commercials for companies like AT&T, Heinz, Pampers, Enterprise Rent-a-Car and MasterCard, as well as in trailers for films, including Scarface, Dirty Dancing and Ragtime. He was the voice of the Democratic Party in campaigns for Bill Clinton, Joseph R. Biden Jr. and others. Jose Molina, a Spanish-born dancer who brought flamenco to audiences throughout the United States with his troupe and in regular television appearances, died on Jan. 5 in Manhattan. He was 81. The cause was lung cancer, said Judith Shapiro, a friend and former student. Mr. Molina left Spain for the United States in 1956 for an appearance on The Steve Allen Show and stayed. He soon joined the company of the famed flamenco dancer Jose Greco. In 1961 he formed his own company, Jose Molina Bailes Espanoles, which toured the United States for the next three decades. An arresting dancer, Mr. Molina at times performs with some of the outrageous panache of Rudolf Nureyev, Jennifer Dunning of The New York Times wrote in a review of a Bailes Espanoles performance at Carnegie Hall in 1978. The year is still new, but in German politics, an end seems already at hand: Chancellor Angela Merkel, who failed to form a new coalition government after the federal elections last September, sees herself confronted with a public that is fast losing patience with her political leadership. In a recent poll, half of German voters said they wanted her to resign and allow another member of her center-right Christian Democratic Party to negotiate the formation of a governing coalition. Grumblings are heard within the party too, which did relatively poorly in the elections. Recently, members of the Junge Union, the partys youth organization, directly called for her to step aside. Ms. Merkel may be one of the worlds most admired leaders and an inspiration for a new generation of women politicians, but at home her appeal has been more pragmatic: Her political capital derives from her ability to react to crises rather than on her conceptualizing and shaping of the countrys political agenda. To be blunt, shes not much of a vision person. For a time, that worked. But over Ms. Merkels three terms as chancellor, she led so-called grand coalitions with the center-left Social Democrats twice. Such a coalition should be able to use its supermajority to enact major reforms, to get big projects done. And yet very little has come of it. To the contrary: After 12 years and the unsolved refugee crisis that made the German public crazy, Merkel fatigue is setting in. Maybe so, but it still was a smart thing to do. Mr. Mahathirs advanced age is an asset: His term would presumably be short, forcing turnover in a country long dominated by dynastic politics. Mr. Anwar, who is in prison on a sodomy conviction, is expected to be released in June, subject to a ban that prevents him from holding office for five years. But the prohibition can be lifted with a royal pardon, and Mr. Mahathir has committed to helping Mr. Anwars rehabilitation and passing him the baton. Mr. Mahathir is not just the only Malaysian politician today who can hold the fractious opposition together; he is also the only one who stands any chance of defeating Mr. Najib at his own game, namely by appealing to the Muslim-Malay majority. The opposition has long been a motley assortment, usually of the Malay party led by Mr. Anwar, a predominantly ethnic-Chinese party and some Islamists. Partly because of their association with, say, the Chinese party, even Muslim-Malay opposition leaders like Mr. Anwar have been accused of betraying their own ethnic group and religion. And UMNO has consistently framed any challenge to it as a threat to Muslim-Malays political power, their preferential quotas and even Islam itself. Such charges cant stick against Mr. Mahathir. UMNO loyalists call him a turncoat, and reformists may question his bona fides as a democrat, but he is popular among many Malays. He is credited with spearheading the countrys industrialization in the 1980s and standing up to the International Monetary Fund during the Asian financial crisis in the late 1990s. His Malay-nationalist credentials are even stronger than those of Mr. Najib, who contemplated rolling back ethnic privileges when he became prime minister in 2009. Mr. Mahathir vehemently opposed the move at the time. Today, his new party admits only Malays and natives of Borneo as its members a clear attempt to steal some of UMNOs ethnic thunder. Mr. Mahathir does seem to have an electoral weakness: his apparently tepid commitment to Islam. This has left him open to vicious attacks, notably from the Islamist party PAS, which was once in the opposition but has now joined forces with UMNO, and may play spoiler in this election. UMNO and PAS have a long and complicated relationship. In recent years Mr. Najib managed to lure a group of PAS hard-liners to his side by endorsing their call to implement and expand certain Shariah punishments. PAS, for its part, has defended Mr. Najib against charges of embezzlement, for example decrying the United States investigation into the 1MDB scandal as a foreign intervention. It has also announced that it will run in 130 out of 222 constituencies nationwide in the upcoming election, putting additional pressure on Pakatan Harapan. Posted Thursday, January 11, 2018 9:27 am Lansings chiropractors will be working overtime next week, as many heads are likely to bang when the second Oigs Fest comes to town Saturday. Its like Christmas for metal, Grave Leech vocalist Clint Harkness said. Everyone gets together on this day once a year, to listen, play, and talk metal all day. Oigs Fest is the spiritual successor to the annual Lansing extreme music showcase Ogre Fest, which pulled off an entire decade of successful shows, before it was retired. Ogre Fest was highly regarded by the Michigan metal community. It provided an opportunity for fans to network, while enjoying a carefully planned line-up of bands. Every year you went, you would see something new, Ogre Fest founder Dave Peterman said. And we always kept it affordable. The concert series was curated during its original decade-long incarnation by Peterman, who decided to leave the festival behind in 2015. Peterman will still appear at Oigs Fest, performing with his band Locust Point. Enter Brad van Staveren, who often assisted Peterman in putting together Ogre Fest. Now hes continuing Petermans work. Staveren said hes streamlined the festival, without sacrificing the opportunity to give Michigan metal bands a platform. Ogre Fest was always a fun time for the community, with all the metal bands coming together from across town and state, Staveren said. Were gonna continue that with Oigs Fest. So whos on the bill? Staveren said he wanted to incorporate several subgenres. Oigs Fest features 12 artists: The Bloody Lips, Centenary, Cruthu, Drink Their Blood, Grave Leech, Jackpine Snag, Locust Point, No Breaks, The Mound Builders, Recorruptor, The Revenant and Stonecutters. The headlining set will come from Stonecutters, a metal outfit from Louisville, Kentucky. Stonecutters have come up to Michigan several times, and have become an out-of-town favorite. Theyve already played Macs at least five times. We love that place, Stonecutters guitarist and vocalist Brian Omer said. Its a home away from home. Those anxious to see Stonecutters in action, will have to hang around Macs until about midnight. If I catch anyone leaving before Stonecutters, I will tag and bag them myself, said Jacob Nevin, former host of Impact FMs metal show Thee Hourz O Power. The fest will feature Lansing staples and a handful of newcomers. Stalwarts like Centenary and the Revenant have long since established themselves in the Lansing metal scene. Recorruptor and Grave Leech, both relatively new, should perform exciting sets. Recorruptor is on a hot streak, after sharing bills with several national acts, such as Morbid Angel and Battlecross. Oigs Fest 2018 Macs Bar, Lansing Saturday, January 13 3 p.m.2 a.m. $10 Advance, $13 at the door On the night of July 16, 1918, Russias last czar, Nicholas II, was murdered with his wife and five children in a basement in Yekaterinburg, where they had been detained by the Bolsheviks for four months. On orders from Moscow, they were shot and bayoneted, and their mutilated bodies were set afire. That much has been generally agreed on, based on overwhelming evidence gathered by numerous experts. Yet the Russian Orthodox Church continues to pose more questions, hinting at the darkest of conspiracies: Were the remains that were later exhumed really those of the imperial family? If not, how many were murdered, and where were they buried? Late last year, church officials added another twist with dark implications, suggesting that the execution of the Romanovs was a ritual murder a phrase evoking calumnies directed against Russias Jews as part of their persecution in czarist times. Now those words have come from Bishop Tikhon Shevkunov, during a speech on Nov. 27 at a church-sponsored conference convened to re-examine the circumstances of the Romanovs murder. Sitting next to Patriarch Kirill, the head of the church, the bishop insisted that his claim was shared by many members of a committee that has been investigating the czars murder since 2015. A representative of the Presidents Investigative Committee, the governments top crime agency, quickly agreed to seek out more expert opinions and to conduct a psychological and historical analysis of the matter. From the beginning, the founders told me, Birth Choice struggled to find support for women who feel too poor to have their babies. In 1986, a woman was referred to them from an adoption agency. Her prior pregnancies had ended in abortion and in placement for adoption. She had planned to give up her current pregnancy for adoption, but it became clear that she wanted to keep this child. She needed help parenting, she needed housing, and she owed the adoption agency thousands of dollars when she withdrew from that process. Birth Choice responded by taking her in as the first resident of Rose Home, a shelter where the most vulnerable of its clients can live during and immediately after their pregnancies. At any given time, it houses five pregnant women and a maximum of 13 children. The Rose Home shelter is a rarity among crisis pregnancy centers, a large majority of which, according to Ms. Chishko, follow rigid rules: no shelters, no clinical services, just administer pregnancy tests and give out baby clothes. Just persuade the women not to abort their babies. And the dominant mode of persuasion, according to a congressional report on federally funded crisis pregnancy centers, involves providing either false or misleading information about the health effects of abortion. By contrast, Rose Homes five residents get support to help them throughout pregnancy and beyond. They have weekly meetings with caseworkers to articulate goals and plan their futures. They receive counseling, drug abuse treatment and vocational training. They get help making court dates, permitting them to regain custody of their children currently in foster care. The rhetoric of choice and life encourages us to see a pregnant woman as if shes balancing a scale, with abortion on one side and motherhood on the other. Which will she choose? Tilt her one way and she might get to finish high school or college, gaining time to plan for the child she wants. Tipped another way, she might become a mother or allow a childless couple to adopt. The women living at Rose Home reveal the shallowness of that metaphor. Women face the surprise of an unplanned pregnancy as if on train tracks, with a locomotive barreling toward them. The only variation lies in how many other trains are coming from other directions. Homelessness, violence, addiction and the biggest of all: poverty. DONG HA, Vietnam This is surely one of the most beautiful spots on earth, my Marine companion rhapsodized early in 1967 as we walked in South Vietnams mysterious, brooding Annamite Mountains, swathed in carpets of deep green and black, tumbling precipitously from rebellious skies into deep valleys. Emperors once hunted for tigers in the untamed landscape. French colons later established coffee plantations here. The Marine and a few buddies lived among the hill tribes in their wood houses on stilts as part of an innovative American program to win Vietnamese hearts and minds. It was an almost indolent lifestyle, and war seemed far away at that moment. I had recently arrived in-country, a somewhat bewildered recent British immigrant to the United States who had been plucked by the vagaries of the military draft from a bucolic Midwest life reporting on Iowas hog markets for the U.P.I. news agency. I was now assigned to be a combat correspondent with the Third Marine Division, headquartered along the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Vietnam. Little did we suspect during my visit that the Marines were witnessing the last days of natural splendor in a place that would play a central role in the war: Khe Sanh. Shortly afterward, that isolated northwest corner of South Vietnam was transformed into the sort of landscape that the author and journalist Bernard Fall called hell in a very small place. That was the title of his book describing the siege of Dien Bien Phu, 13 years earlier, when the Viet Minh army decisively defeated the French, ending their reign in Vietnam. The siege of Khe Sanh would become so eerily reminiscent of that earlier battle that a spooked President Lyndon Johnson publicly demanded a pledge from his military commanders that it would not end in a similar debacle. I guess Donald Trump was eager to counter the impression in Michael Wolffs book that he is irascible, mentally small and possibly insane. On Tuesday, he allowed a bipartisan session in the White House about immigration to be televised for nearly an hour. Surely, he thought that he would be able to demonstrate to the world his lucidity and acumen, his grasp of the issues and his relish for rapprochement with his political adversaries. But instead what came through was the image of a man who had absolutely no idea what he was talking about; a man who says things that are 180 degrees from the things he has said before; a man who has no clear line of reasoning; a man who is clearly out of his depth and willing to do and say anything to please the people in front of him. He demonstrated once again that he is a man without principle, interested only in how good he can make himself look and how much money he can make. The increase in workplace robots was not alone in driving voters to the right. Communities where industries lost ground to imports from China followed a similar pattern. In a September 2017 paper, Importing Political Polarization? The Electoral Consequences of Rising Trade Exposure, David Autor, who is also an economist at M.I.T., and three of his colleagues, dug further into the demographics of those suffering the economic costs of trade with China. Autor and his co-authors found that Trade exposure catalyzed strong movements towards conservative Republicans between 2002 and 2010 in counties with majority non-Hispanic white populations. The gains made by hard-right Republicans came at the expense of moderate Republican and Democratic incumbents. Even more significant, Autor determined that though generally speaking trade shocks did not favor conservative politicians, shocks that disproportionately affect white males did. The authors provide more detail, explaining that the rightward shift is driven by trade shocks to industries that have traditionally employed white men in relatively large numbers, and is largely unrelated to shocks to other industries. Autor and his co-authors cite research showing that voters choose to supply fewer public goods when a significant fraction of tax revenues collected from one ethnic group is used to provide public goods shared with other ethnic groups and that voters in an in-group object to their tax contributions being used to support individuals in out-groups. That translates to: white voters, especially white men, oppose paying taxes for programs that primarily provide services to others. In practice, the authors suggest, trade shocks catalyze anti-redistributionist sentiment (seen in the election of conservative Republicans) in majority white non-Hispanic locations where taxpayers may perceive themselves as transfer-payment donors. This white male effect was critical to the link connecting, as Autor and his co-authors write, economic adversity to in-group/out-group identification, as motivated by group-based resource competition or opportunistic use of political extremism. Their analysis resonates, they suggest, with the themes of recent literature on the political economy of right-wing populism, in which economic shocks to dominant population groups engender a political response that sharpens group identities and enhances support for conservative politicians. This pattern is evident in our finding that the impact of trade shocks on political polarization appears largely attributable to increases in foreign competition facing manufacturing industries that are intensive in the employment of non-Hispanic white males. Acemoglu, Autor and their colleagues provide a synthesis between the economic and the sociocultural explanations of the rise of the populist right. In doing so, they provide a corrective to the recent tendency in segments of the liberal media to downplay economic factors and to focus instead on racial resentment and cultural dislocation as the primary forces motivating Trump voters. I myself have written that Republican voters have a strong sense of white identity, they harbor high levels of racial resentment and they sometimes exhibit authoritarian leanings. The point here is that the two generalized explanatory realms the one focused on race and the other on economic shock overlap. It is not either/or but both that gave us President Trump. Guess what? Donald Trump is a raving idiot. Every sentient person knows this, and if Michael Wolff is to be believed, so does most everyone in the White House. So why are we talking about Wolffs book Fire and Fury as if its the news sensation of the decade? The answer lies in that timeless definition of the word gossip: Hearing something you like about someone you dont. Fire and Fury is catnip for everyone who detests this president. Trump gorges on burgers in a bed he doesnt share with his wife! He barely reads and constantly repeats himself! He has mastered the fine print in the Bill of Rights all the way from the First to the Third Amendment! But gossip isnt journalism. And Wolffs book is Exhibit A in how not to damage Trumps presidency, much less his chances of re-election. So much was apparent in Tuesdays televised meeting of the president with congressional leaders to discuss immigration. This was not a good performance by past presidential standards: Trump seemed unable to grasp what a clean bill meant, or where Republicans stood on it. Oklahoma Senator James Lankford acknowledged as much when he said the meeting got confusing. To scientists who study lakes and rivers, it seems humans have embarked on a huge unplanned experiment. By burning fossil fuels, we have already raised the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by 40 percent, and were on track to increase it by much more. Some of that gas may mix into the worlds inland waters, and recent studies hint that this may have profound effects on the species that live in them. Were monkeying with the very chemical foundation of these ecosystems, said Emily H. Stanley, a limnologist (freshwater ecologist) at the University of Wisconsin Madison. But right now we dont know enough yet to know where were going. To me, scientifically thats really interesting, and as a human a little bit frightening. Scientists began taking continuous measurements of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere in the 1950s, and today they have more than six decades of consistent readings. In the 1980s, oceanographers followed suit, developing carbon dioxide sensors and deploying them across the planet. All the girls in the Harlem tenement building I grew up in wore a pair. My older sister and I had rail-thin large ones. Sometimes I would take them off and wear them as bracelets. We slept in them, our hoop earrings. I fell in love with hoops after seeing the fly ladies, like Lauryn Hill and Mary J. Blige, in music videos wearing them. My best friends sister, Priscilla, who lived a few floors below me, wore a huge pair with her name inscribed inside their curves in the prettiest cursive. Her hoops dangled as she twirled her fingers on the curly cord of the phone. In my mind, she was the coolest. When we rolled our necks they moved with the same attitudes we expressed. They bounced up and down when we played double dutch near our stoop. Gold hoops thick, wide, bamboo-style, small or thin were an extension of our sass, our style and us. Like many Latinas, my mother took my sister and me to get our ears pierced when we were newborns. She proudly brought us to the local pharmacy on 137th Street and Broadway for the quick procedure, and once the holes healed she placed tiny hoops in them. I like to get a bit of a surprise when I go to the bathroom at a restaurant, the Danish chef Adam Aamann explains when asked why he has taken a hands-on approach quite literally to the restrooms in his new restaurant. Diners freshening up at Aamanns 1921 which opened in Copenhagen in August and offers a modern take on classic Danish cuisine are given a choice of two liquid soaps. One smells of lemon, cedar, bergamot and thyme; the other carries notes of lemon, bergamot, orange and rosemary. Both were handmade by Aamann himself. I like to throw myself at things I havent tried before, he says, standing in the kitchen of his three-story house in Osterbro, one of Copenhagens smartest neighborhoods. I also thought it would be an extraordinary way of tickling people. In particular, Aamann wanted to create the full experience at Aamanns 1921: for diners to return to the table with one hopes clean hands that smell like the herbs used in the kitchen. In other words, the soap should provide a reference to the food. At Aamanns 1921 that means smorrebrod Denmarks traditional open-faced sandwich, adorned with fixings that include marinated herring, matured cheese, kohlrabi and pickled onions. Aromatic herbs adorn most dishes. WASHINGTON A new front is opening in the battle to restore so-called net neutrality rules: state legislatures. Lawmakers in at least six states, including California and New York, have introduced bills in recent weeks that would forbid internet providers to block or slow down sites or online services. Legislators in several other states, including North Carolina and Illinois, are weighing similar action. They are responding to the Federal Communications Commissions vote last month to end regulations that barred internet service providers from creating slow and fast lanes for different sites and services. The new policy will go into effect in the coming weeks. By passing their own law, the state lawmakers say, they would ensure that consumers would find the content of the choice, maintain a diversity of voices online and protect businesses from having to pay fees to reach users. And they might even have an effect beyond their states. Californias strict auto emissions standards, for example, have been followed by a dozen other states, giving California major sway over the auto industry. Posted Thursday, January 11, 2018 9:27 am From the segregated lunch counters of 1950s Nashville, to hushed buses threading the hostile highways of the Deep South, to the sweaty meeting halls and phone rooms that wove the civil rights movement together, Diane Nash has a message for those who hope for a better world today. Nash, the honored speaker at the 33rd Martin Luther King Jr., Holiday Commission Luncheon, is a brilliant organizer from way back. While still a student at Fisk University in 1959, she led the breakthrough sit-in movement that desegregated lunch counters in Nashville. In 1961, she coordinated the Freedom Ride from Birmingham, Alabama, to Jackson, Mississippi. As a movement leader, she roused people in the morning to join her and face a day of unknowns, including possible beatings and arrests. She knows how to deliver a wake-up call. In a democracy, people are rulers of the country, but United States citizens dont see themselves as rulers of this country, she said in a phone interview last week. That is the biggest problem. There are what, 300 million of us now. That is a lot of brain power and human power. Leaving progress to politicians, Nash said, has never worked. Suppose we had left desegregating restaurants, buses and public accommodations and getting the right to vote in the South to elected officials, she said. I think, 50 years later, they still wouldnt have done it. Citizens need to look at the lessons of the sixties. The methods we used were effective. They worked. Convicted of contributing to the delinquency of a minor for organizing nonviolent student protests, she turned herself in, rather than accept bail, and insisted she serve jail time, even though she was pregnant with her first child. She served 30 days, dodging cockroaches at night (and something larger that she heard crawling on the floor, although she never found out what it was). President John F. Kennedy named her to the national committee that promoted passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Later, she was a vehement opponent of the Vietnam War. She defends the principle of nonviolence espoused by King, not with sentiment, but with mathematical logic. With all the violence thats been perpetrated in the last century violence of all kinds if it made a better society, wed all be living in Utopia, Nash said. In my observation, violence doesnt create a better society, it creates more violence, more harm to human beings and just makes things worse. To Nash, 79, the jail-no-bail principle was central to the success of civil rights battles in the South. As a new cohort of protesters calmly replaced each group that was hauled away, the prospect of arresting hundreds of people peacefully sitting at lunch counters threatened not only to overwhelm Tennessee jails. The spectacle roused the collective conscience of the state, the segregated South and the nation. Younger generations are equipped with far-reaching tools such as social media Nash admits are unknown to her. We had to crank those mimeograph machines, in order to turn out leaflets, she said with a laugh. I havent thought about applying social media to the 1960s. But the nuts and bolts of organizing for change, Nash said, still arent visible on screens. Young people are doing what they saw on television namely, marching, she said. But thats only about 20 percent of what we did, Id say, in the South. They didnt see on television the door-to-door organizing and the many, many meetings we had, to educate people about their responsibility in becoming a voter and learning to act in unison. We did have a great deal of discipline in the civil rights movement, which is absolutely required any time youre dealing with a large group of people. When I asked her to single out todays most pressing civil rights issues, she gave a surprising answer. One of the most important battles, that I think is important, isnt really being fought very hard, she said. That is reversing the Citizens United Supreme Court decision that allows people to purchase politicians. Because if you dont have equal power in everyones vote, you really dont have democracy. But Nash already sees one sign of hope in the unprecedented wave of women filing for local, state and national office in 2017. She is gratified that the Womens March Nashs 20 percent part of the job is translating into real change. She also feels that the current wave of indignation over sexual harassment in the workplace is long overdue. I think its wonderful, she said I think women have a right to be in the workplace and devote their attention to their job instead of having to deal with harassment and all the unpleasantness that women have had to put up with. Nashs own remarkable experience shows that when people take matters into their own hands, peacefully, there is no limit to what they can do. If the system seems rigged now, take a ride on a time machine and try sitting at a lunch counter in Nashville in 1958. People spend a lot of time talking about the Trump administration, what theyre doing and not doing, and I think, to a large extent, thats wasted time, Nash said. Weve had a chance to see who these people are. Theyre going to act the way theyre acting. The issue is, what are the citizens going to do? People could be working on the economic system, education, health care, the criminal justice in their town, their state, rather than spending so much angst over what politicians are doing. No matter how much you talk about them and worry about them, they are who they are. Martin Luther King, Jr., Holiday Commission Luncheon Diane Nash, guest speaker 11 a.m. Mon., Jan. 15, 2008 Lansing Center 333 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing For tickets or a table, contact Dakeea Davis at (517) 763-3995 glmlktixs@gmail.com Its a new year, which means its time to shed stale habits and blinkered perceptions. The New York theater is obligingly presenting a host of deliberately disorienting productions from an international array of artists this month, in works designed to rearrange your mind and shake up your senses. Fixed notions of nationality, gender and race are being deconstructed and detonated in one of the liveliest lineups of brave new plays in many a season. Here, a quintet of iconoclastic eye-openers to help you focus on the future. Panorama For the Italian troupe Motus, boundaries arent made for crossing, but for erasing altogether. Two years ago, this genre-blending company confounded and elated downtown audiences with MDLSX, a mixed-media meltdown of gender-specific identity. Motus returns to one of its favorite haunts, La MaMa in the East Village, to consider the possibility of a world unfettered by nationalism and, heck, even nationhood in the sprawling performance piece Panorama, which suggests that to migrate is simply to do what comes naturally. (Dont expect to see Donald J. Trump in the audience.) Tickets: publictheater.org/Under-the-Radar/ Travelers seeking inspiration for 2018 trips may want to consider art exhibitions and cultural festivals. At the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C., notable exhibitions include Women House (March 9 to May 28), which explores the role of women in American culture through photography, video, sculptures and large-scale installation s, and Heavy Metal Women to Watch 2018 (June 28 to Sept. 16), a showcase of contemporary female artists who work with metal. To see a different side of Picassos work, plan a trip to the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Humlebaek, Denmark. The exhibition Picasso Ceramics (Feb. 1 to May 27) includes 150 ceramics that reflect an experimental stage of the artists career as he worked with new materials and glazes to create a range of sculptural pieces. Politics is the topic of a coming exhibition at SITE Santa Fe in New Mexico. In Luke Dubois: A More Perfect Union (Jan. 19 to April 4), democracy and elections are under the microscope. The most commonly used words in 43 State of the Union addresses are at the heart of a work called Hindsight is Always 20.20. Where will the sounds of music take travelers in 2018? The destination may depend on your favorite song, but whether that means jazz, Afropunk, rock or another rhythm entirely, theres definitely a place to go. For blues fans, the Tremblant International Blues Festival (July 6 to 15), in the village of Mont Tremblant, in Canada, is celebrating its 25th anniversary in a big way. The 10 days of festivities will include more than 100 indoor and outdoor concerts most of them free from both blues legends and emerging musicians from around the world. And for festivalgoers seeking a more intimate immersion into the blues, the event includes several freestyle jam sessions at restaurants and bars around town. Despite the name, its not only about jazz: the music and cultural party known as the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (April 27 to May 6) is going all out for the Big Easys Tricentennial in 2018 with performances from over 500 bands, playing virtually every style of music. The lineup for this year is still in the works, but its likely to be as diverse as in the past when artists have included Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, Snoop Dogg and Louisiana locals Trombone Shorty and Dr. John. Its also a big year the 60th, to be exact for Festival di Spoleto (June 29 to July 15), in Spoleto, in Italys Umbria region. The event includes more than 100 classical and opera concerts at venues around town, and the opening night show of the tragic opera Jeanne dArc au Bucher by Arthur Honegger, held in the grand Piazza del Duomo, is a way to get into the listening mood. A woman who appeared to be wearing nothing but socks and a hospital gown was discharged from a Baltimore hospital on a cold winter night and left alone at a bus stop. A passer-by filmed the woman late Tuesday evening and posted several videos on Facebook shortly after midnight. In them, people in dark uniforms can be seen walking into the University of Maryland Medical Centers Midtown Campus with an empty wheelchair, leaving the woman alone on the sidewalk. The woman appears to have trouble keeping her balance and communicating. She barely speaks during the videos, which total about 11 minutes. But she does scream, and her breath condenses in the cold air in front of her. The man filming, Imamu Baraka, finds her belongings in plastic bags at the bus stop and encourages her to sit down. Good morning. (Want to get California Today by email? Heres the sign-up.) Gov. Jerry Brown moved to bolster Californias rainy day fund Wednesday when he unveiled the final budget proposal of his administration in Sacramento, asking the Legislature not to take the states economic stability for granted, while also deflecting questions about his legacy. His message centered on a warning: Whats out there is darkness, uncertainty, decline and recession. So good luck, baby, he said with a smile. Flanked by blown-up cardboard graphs, he predicted that his successors would probably face an economic recession in the near future and said he was determined to minimize the damage. The $132 billion budget plan centered heavily on infusing the emergency fund with $5 billion in the coming fiscal year bringing the total stash to $13.5 billion in order to prevent layoffs and soften other painful budget cuts in a downturn. He and his team said the progress California has made since 2011, when it was teetering on the edge of financial catastrophe, is more reason to double-down on the emergency fund. Today the state has a $6.1 billion surplus. Yes, we have had some very good years and program spending has steadily increased, reads his opening message in the budget. Lets not blow it now. The St. Louis circuit attorney on Thursday opened an investigation into claims that Gov. Eric Greitens of Missouri, a former Navy Seal regarded as a Republican rising star, threatened a woman with whom he had an extramarital affair shortly before he was elected governor. Mr. Greitens had acknowledged the night before that he had an affair in 2015, but denied he had threatened the woman with whom he had the relationship. The serious allegations against Missouri Governor Eric Greitens are very troubling, said Kimberly Gardner, the city prosecutor and a Democrat, in a statement, adding: It is essential for residents of the City of St. Louis and our state to have confidence in their leaders. They must know that the Office of the Circuit Attorney will hold public officials accountable in the same manner as any other resident of our city. The accusations were relayed by the womans ex-husband, but she has not commented. Mr. Greitens and his wife, Sheena, released a joint statement after a number of inquiries from the news media about the relationship late Wednesday night, shortly after the governors State of the State address, in which the couple revealed that there was a time when he was unfaithful in our marriage. WASHINGTON On Tuesday, three federal judges in North Carolina threw out the states congressional map because it was motivated by invidious partisan intent. On Wednesday, another panel of judges in Pennsylvania upheld that states map, with one arguing that such a political issue was none of the courts business. The two competing federal rulings in partisan gerrymander cases this week underscore the courts angst over even getting involved in political decisions, much less overturning them. Both rulings are certain to draw the Supreme Courts interest as it mulls a resolution to the gerrymandering question. The Court, with two other redistricting cases before it, is expected this spring to end a decades-long debate over when and if judges should make decisions that could reshape the countrys political landscape. Youre seeing how much turmoil there is now in the lower federal courts, and how many federal judges believe the time has come for the courts to impose substantial limits on partisan gerrymanders, said Richard H. Pildes, a scholar of the law of democracy at the New York University School of Law. Section 702 is an important component of American national security. It allows us, the C.I.A., to observe communications from non-U.S. citizens. That was C.I.A. director, and Trump appointee, Mike Pompeo on Sunday. Basically, the Trump team opposes an amendment to put more limits on certain surveillance methods. But on Thursday, the president himself took a different stance. The president tweeted: House votes on controversial FISA act today. This is the act that may have been used with the help of the discredited and phony dossier. He appeared to step back from that position in a follow-up tweet. But its the latest example of President Trump contradicting his administration, his party and even himself. In a bipartisan meeting on DACA, he was asked: It was a request by Democrats for Trump to legalize the Dreamers with no strings attached. I think thats basically what Dick is saying. Were going to come up with DACA. Were going to do DACA. And then we can start immediately on the Phase 2, which would be comprehensive But a clean DACA bill is not the G.O.P. position or even the presidents. Representative Kevin McCarthy quickly tried to set the record straight. When we talk about just DACA, we dont want to be back here two years later. You have to have security as the secretary would tell you. But I think thats what shes saying. Oh no, no, I think shes saying something different. The president later clarified that, in fact, this was his position too. But any solution has to include the wall because without the wall, it all doesnt work. Trump and his administration also seem to be at odds over their favorite nemesis: Hillary Clinton. Hillary Clinton had an interview where she wasnt sworn in. She wasnt given the oath. They didnt take notes. They didnt record, and it was done on the Fourth of July weekend. But just hours later, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway said this: We dont care about her. Nobody here talks about her. Hey, Chris, nobody here talks about Hillary Clinton. I promise you. Indeed, one of the principal groups charged with overseeing and policing legislators behavior the Joint Commission of Public Ethics, or Jcope has been faulted in the past for lacking investigative muscle and proper funding. On Thursday, a spokesman for the commission, Walter McClure, said he could not comment on anything that is or may be an investigative matter, though he noted that the commission has issued investigations of sexual harassment in the past, including former Assemblyman Dennis Gabryszak, who was found to have made sexual advances toward women who worked in his office. (That investigations findings, however, were issued almost two years after Mr. Gabryszak had resigned.) On Thursday evening, Mr. Klein seemingly upped the ante, sending a letter to the acting chairman and executive director of the committee requesting that they open an investigation, saying again that the incident did not happen, period, and citing his lawyers own six-day investigation of current and former staffers present at the time. Sexual misbehavior is hardly a new phenomenon in Albany, where lawmakers once bragged about the Bear Mountain Compact, an assertion that extramarital liaisons north of the Bear Mountain Bridge, a Hudson River crossing north of New York City, were not to be spoken about in home districts. In 2012, the Democrat-dominated State Assembly was rocked by the unsavory acts of Assemblyman Vito J. Lopez, a powerful Brooklyn Democrat, who had sexually harassed female staff members. As recently as November, a Republican assemblyman, Steven T. McLaughlin, was disciplined for sexual harassment, after an investigation found he had asked a female Assembly staff member for naked pictures of herself. The Lopez episode led the Assembly to enact a series of reforms, including mandatory reporting of any complaint of sexual harassment and a ban on confidential settlements, proposals also being suggested by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and other lawmakers this year. The Klein scandal also threatened to overshadow the legislative session that began last week, and added intensity to the discussion of possible changes to internal policies and state laws meant to address sexual harassment. In a coincidence of timing, less than 24 hours after the news of Ms. Vladimers allegations broke, Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul and Melissa DeRosa, the secretary to the governor the two highest ranking women in state government stood before an audience of hundreds of people in the New-York Historical Societys auditorium in Manhattan to unveil Mr. Cuomos 2018 Womens Agenda. Both women heaped praise upon the plans, including the governors promise to crack down on sexual harassment in the workplace. But they made no mention of Ms. Vladimer or Mr. Klein, or of the existence of harassment in state government more broadly, even as they stressed womens courage in coming forward and the importance of believing their stories. WASHINGTON Nearly a year into her tenure as first lady and after a week of intense scrutiny prompted by a new book that claims she had dreaded life in the White House Melania Trump has hired a director of policy to advance her nascent platform. For months, Mrs. Trumps East Wing had searched for a policy director who could further an agenda that has been broadly defined as helping children. On Thursday, the White House announced the first ladys choice: Reagan Thompson, 27, who had previously served as an executive assistant on the National Security Council. Before working for the N.S.C., Ms. Thompson was a communications and policy adviser for Mike Pompeo, the C.I.A. director, when he was a hard-line Republican congressman. It is unclear how Ms. Thompsons background in serving Mr. Pompeo she has described her duties with him as working on issues for the intelligence and Benghazi committees and on Iran, Guantanamo and Asia may help her in her new role. Wednesday, January 10, 2018 J. Thomas Oldham recently posted an Article entitled, A Survey of Lawyers Observations About the Principles Governing the Award of Spousal Support Throughout the United States, Family & Children's Law eJournal (2017). Provided below is an abstract of the Article: At the beginning of this project, I distributed 5000 questionnaires to family lawyers around the country. I asked the lawyers to respond by estimating the spousal support award, if any, that would result for six hypothetical divorcing couples in their jurisdiction. While the response rate was not great, the responses received suggest that there are three different types of spousal support systems in the U. S. today. In some states, spousal support is rarely awarded, and then only to prevent severe hardship. In others, spousal support is frequently awarded when the spouses incomes are substantially different at divorce. In most states, however, it appears that there is no clear spousal support policy, and the award, if any, in any given case is the result of which judge is assigned to hear the matter. In these states, spousal support determinations appear to be arbitrary. I have included as an appendix to my article a summary of the responses. Some states have responded to this lack of clarity regarding spousal support standards by adopting guidelines. These guidelines attempt to provide more uniformity in terms of award amounts and award duration. To date, they have not attempted to provide guidance regarding when a spousal support award is warranted. In this article, I discuss how spousal support standards could be clarified in those states where there appears to be no clearly accepted policy. https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/trusts_estates_prof/2018/01/article-on-a-survey-of-lawyers-observations-about-the-principles-governing-the-award-of-spousal-supp.html WASHINGTON Representative Kevin Cramer, Republican of North Dakota, said on Thursday that he would not challenge the Democratic incumbent senator, Heidi Heitkamp, in this years midterm elections. It was just the latest indication of the difficulty Republicans are having recruiting candidates in what had looked to be a highly favorable climate in the wake of President Trumps inauguration a year ago. Ms. Heitkamp is among 10 Democrats seeking re-election in states won by Mr. Trump in his race against Hillary Clinton in 2016. Mr. Cramer had been seen as a top-tier challenger in a state the president carried by 36 percentage points. He made his announcement during a North Dakota radio program. This is shaping up to be a tough cycle for Republicans across the board, said Jennifer Duffy, a senior editor for The Cook Political Report who specializes in Senate races. It only makes sense that recruiting is going to be difficult. For someone like Cramer, it doesnt make a lot of sense to give up a safe seat for a difficult race in a lousy environment. That assessment is an abrupt reversal of how most analysts saw the midterm landscape shaping up a year ago. The political news cycle is fast, and keeping up can be overwhelming. Trying to find differing perspectives worth your time is even harder. Thats why we have scoured the internet for political writing from the right and left that you might not have seen. Has this series exposed you to new ideas? Tell us how. Email us at ourpicks@nytimes.com. For an archive of all the Partisan Writing Roundups, check out Our Picks. From the Right WASHINGTON A probe into the Treasury Departments role in crafting and assessing the Trump administrations tax plan found no evidence of any improper political interference with the career tax staff, but cast doubt on whether the departments robust economic growth projections were achievable. The Treasury Departments Office of Inspector General launched a probe into the practices of Treasurys Office of Tax Analysis after The New York Times reported on the lack of a Treasury analysis of the $1.5 trillion tax plan and concerns that career tax staff were shut out of the tax bill process. Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, had repeatedly asserted that the tax bill would pay for itself and that Treasury staff were working on a detailed analysis of the plans costs that would bear out that assertion. The Treasury Department did not provide that analysis before the Senate voted on the tax bill and did not provide Senator Bob Corker, Republican of Tennessee, a promised analysis showing the tax plan would not add to the federal deficit. The lack of the analysis raised questions whether Treasurys team of tax experts could really back up Mr. Mnuchins claims that the tax bill would not balloon the deficit. It is unclear whether the Departments involvement in the tax legislating process in 2017 has been any more or less political than it has been in past years, Rich Delmar, the counsel to the inspector general, wrote in a report outlining its findings. I do not see a basis to conclude that the process employed by Treasury this past year was contrary to law, an abuse of authority or otherwise improper. WASHINGTON President Trump on Thursday balked at an immigration deal that would include protections for people from Haiti and some nations in Africa, demanding to know at a White House meeting why he should accept immigrants from shithole countries rather than from places like Norway, according to people with direct knowledge of the conversation. Mr. Trumps remarks, the latest example of his penchant for racially tinged remarks denigrating immigrants, left members of Congress from both parties attending the meeting in the Oval Office alarmed and mystified. He made them during a discussion of an emerging bipartisan deal to give legal status to immigrants illegally brought to the United States as children, those with knowledge of the conversation said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the meeting. When Mr. Trump heard that Haitians were among those who would benefit from the proposed deal, he asked whether they could be left out of the plan, asking, Why do we want people from Haiti here? The comments were reminiscent of ones the president made last year in an Oval Office meeting with cabinet officials and administration aides, during which he complained about admitting Haitians to the country, saying that they all had AIDS, as well as Nigerians, who he said would never go back to their huts, according to officials who heard the statements in person or were briefed on the remarks by people who had. The White House vehemently denied last month that Mr. Trump made those remarks. Education Commissioner Mike Morath issued his own statement, noting that the state already had increased resources for parents and hired 39 additional special education workers across the state. I am committing today that there will be more, he said in the statement. The federal review was prompted by a 2016 investigation by The Houston Chronicle, which revealed the enrollment target. The newspaper quoted dozens of teachers saying that the target had forced them to withhold services from students with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia, mental illnesses, speech impairments or even blindness and deafness. In the resulting outcry, Texas lawmakers ended the policy and passed several bills overhauling special education. Still, the federal review found that years of pressure from state officials to enroll fewer students in special education had created a culture of noncompliance with federal law that had outlasted the policy. Among other issues, the federal regulators found that many Texas schools have trained teachers not to try to find out whether struggling students qualify for special education until regular classroom teaching techniques like Response to Intervention have been tried for years without success. That approach runs counter to federal law, which requires schools to evaluate students as soon as a disability is suspected. The letter said regulators identified a statewide pattern of evaluations being delayed or not conducted for children who were suspected of having a disability because these children were receiving supports for struggling learners in the general education environment. Advocates for children with disabilities praised the federal governments action on Thursday, while cautioning that there was more work to do. The Commissioner of Education must immediately embrace the corrective actions required by the U.S. Department of Education and take additional steps, in collaboration with stakeholders, to ensure that all students who were previously denied special education services now rightfully receive compensatory services, said Dustin Rynders, the education director at Disability Rights Texas, an advocacy group based in Houston that receives federal funds. JALALABAD, Afghanistan The American military bombed members of an Afghan government militia who were on the front lines of the battle against the Islamic State in eastern Afghanistan, killing at least 13 fighters after at least one opened fire on American Special Forces soldiers deployed there, Afghan officials said Thursday. While some Afghan officials said that at least two American soldiers were killed in what was described as an insider attack by friendly forces, Capt. Tom Gresback, a spokesman for the United States military in Afghanistan, rejected those reports and said that only one American service member had been wounded. Captain Gresback would not say whether the service member had been wounded by friendly fire, or whether the United States had bombed the militia afterward. The episode unfolded in the Achin district of Nangarhar Province, the stronghold of the Islamic States affiliate in Afghanistan. Over the past year, Afghan forces, with the help of American Special Forces units and airpower, have tried to wipe out the group there, but it has been an uphill task because the Afghan government has had little control in the area for many years. Every time the Islamic State has been squeezed in Achin, the fighters have shifted to a neighboring district. GAJAH MAKMUR, Indonesia This small agricultural village in the hills of Sumatra island, in the province of Bengkulu, is a testament to happy days in human-elephant relations: When the village whose name translates to Prosperous Elephant was founded in 1991, residents nursed an injured wild elephant back to health until it one day disappeared into the forest, never to be seen again. But when wild elephants raided, villagers organized into brigades and used everything they could gather pots and pans, a megaphone to scare off the rampaging giants, forcing them to a palm oil plantation elsewhere. It was just one example of how the rapid expansion of palm oil plantations into elephant territory here has brought humans and elephants into more frequent conflict, especially in remote villages far from ranger bases. Increasingly, that conflict is deadly. HONG KONG Michael Wolffs book about the Trump administration has been getting mixed reviews from critics and others, but its finding fulsome praise in one corner: North Korean state media, which says the books popularity foretells Trumps political demise. The book, Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, has apparently made its way to the so-called hermit kingdom, giving more ammunition to a North Korean government already in a raging propaganda war with President Trump. The anti-Trump book is sweeping all over the world so Trump is being massively humiliated worldwide, said a commentary in the countrys Rodong Sinmun newspaper, which is run by the ruling Workers Party. The book has sold so well in the United States 29,000 hardcover copies the first weekend that retailers are having trouble keeping it in stock, and digital and audio sales have topped 350,000. Pirated copies of the book are already circulating online in Asia. Mr. Siddiqui is a 2014 winner of the Albert Londres Prix award, the French equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize, and has written articles for several international publications, including The New York Times. He has also been become known as a frequent critic of the military on social media. It is public knowledge that the military establishment is annoyed with Tahas Twitter activity, said Iqbal Khattack, the Pakistan representative for Reporters Sans Frontieres. What has happened is worrisome, but not surprising. A spokesman for the interior ministry said Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal had sought an investigation into the attack on Mr. Siddiqui. The media wing of the Pakistani Army declined official comment. One military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media on the matter, said he doubted the military was behind the attack. He said Mr. Siddiqui had written no articles recently that criticized the army and that it would be counterproductive to carry out such an attack based on a handful of objectionable tweets. The officer then scoffed at the idea that Mr. Siddiqui could have escaped an attack by a dozen trained security agents. The threats to journalists and dissidents dont end with the security agencies. Militants on both sides of the insurgency in Baluchistan Province, for instance, including sectarian groups who mainly fight on the militarys side of the conflict, are known for some of the most brazen attacks. In the past year, another avenue of threat has been opened up. Under a sweeping new cybercrimes law passed last January, the authorities have also begun warning or prosecuting journalists and online activists. And that same month, at least five activists known for internet posts critical of the military suddenly disappeared. Four have since been returned and live in exile abroad. The drop indicated that the governments antipollution campaign first announced in 2013 but accelerated last year for regions around the capital has begun to show results. Even so, pollution levels fell less precipitously or rose elsewhere, suggesting that a concerted effort last fall to shift heating to natural gas from coal may have simply shifted the harmful effects to regions far from the capital. In the northern province of Heilongjiang, on the border with Russia, pollution levels rose 10 percent. In a statement with its analysis, Greenpeace argued that the results demonstrated the need for more government action, noting that nationwide the drop in pollutants was only 4 percent. Chinas national air pollution action plan has brought massive reductions in pollution levels and associated health risks, but policies favoring coal and heavy industry are holding back progress, Huang Wei, one of the organizations campaigners, said in the statement. But in Beijing, where pollution levels are tracked as closely as property prices are in Hong Kong, London or New York, the respite from eye-watering, throat-scratching smog has nonetheless been welcomed. Only a year ago the pollution was so bad on some days that schools were closed and flights were canceled. Who Would Support It? The Liberal Democrats are, so far, the only party to have made a second vote on Brexit a driving priority in their agenda. But with only 12 seats in Parliament, they are only a minor factor in the House of Commons, and the public shows few signs of rallying to their cause. As things stand now, said Tony Travers, the director of LSE London, a research center at the London School of Economics, only a minority of British politicians would like a second referendum. There are a couple of reasons for that, Mr. Travers said. Obviously, pro-Brexit lawmakers would vote against it, but so would many anti-Brexit ones who fear that a second victory for the leave side would shatter their hopes for a soft Brexit. While the majority of MPs supported the remain camp during the referendum campaign, their main objective now is to maintain access to the single market, Jolyon Maugham, a barrister and a prominent proponent of a second referendum, said in a phone interview. However, if it begins to look as if Britain would be stuck with a hard Brexit deal or no deal whatsoever, then a larger share of lawmakers might support a second referendum, Mr. Featherstone added. Is This the Only Way to Stop Brexit? In March 2017, Britain became the first country to invoke Article 50, setting the exit process in motion. It is not clear that the process could be reversed, even if the British public voted in a second referendum to remain. As I see it, there are two routes to do this: a political and a legal one, Mr. Maugham said. Britain would need all 27 remaining bloc member states to agree to its revocation of Article 50. But it would take only one of them to impose unacceptable conditions, or to say no, to block that route. The new United States ambassador to the Netherlands refused on Wednesday to answer questions about his 2015 statement that politicians and cars had been burned by Muslims in the Netherlands, a claim he has not substantiated. Do you now reach the conclusion that you were wrong when you stated that politicians and cars were being burned? a reporter asked the ambassador, Peter Hoekstra, in his first news conference with Dutch journalists. Was that a wrong remark, was it false? I issued a statement, I expressed my regrets and my apology for the comments that I made, the ambassador replied. And I am not revisiting the issue. The ambassador, a former Republican congressman from Michigan who was appointed to the position in The Hague by President Trump, had referred in 2015 to no-go zones, erroneously suggesting there were Muslim-ruled enclaves in the Netherlands that are outside the governments control. PARIS Having spent the last five years living in Syria, where she joined Islamic extremists, Emilie Konig, 33, wants to come home to France. But does France want her back? The daughter of a policeman from a small town in Brittany, she converted to Islam as a teenager. After she began covering herself from head to toe in a black abaya and veil, she felt so scorned in France that she left her two small children to go to Syria, eventually becoming a prominent propagandist and recruiter for the Islamic State. She would like to come back; she has asked for pardon from her family, her friends, her country, her mother said in an interview with Ouest-France, a newspaper in Brittany, after speaking to her daughter by telephone two weeks ago. Ms. Konigs personal story is unusual, not least because she is a convert and gained prominence within the male-dominated Islamic State. Yet the quandary her case poses is an increasingly common one for France and other European countries: What should they do when citizens who are former Islamic State fighters or supporters want to return? QUITO, Ecuador Ecuador announced on Thursday that it had granted citizenship to Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks co-founder who has been living in a tiny room in the South American countrys London embassy since seeking political asylum in 2012. It was an extraordinary development in the prolonged diplomatic standoff, and came only hours after Britain said it had rejected a request by Ecuador to grant Mr. Assange diplomatic immunity so he could leave the embassy. Ecuador knows that the way to resolve this issue is for Julian Assange to leave the embassy to face justice, Britains Foreign Office said in a statement, adding that Britain was not in talks with Ecuador about the matter. On Wednesday, Mr. Assange hinted that something was afoot when he tweeted a picture of himself wearing a yellow Ecuadorean soccer jersey. MOSCOW A Russian historian of the Soviet-era system of forced labor camps known as the Gulag is scheduled to undergo enforced psychiatric testing this week, apparently having ruffled some official feathers because of his dedication to unearthing and publishing information about Stalins murderous rule. The historian, Yuri A. Dmitriev, 61, who seemingly ran afoul of the Kremlins new emphasis on taking pride in Russias past, was arrested in December 2016 on charges of child pornography after taking nine naked photographs of his adoptive daughter, Natalya, then 11. Mr. Dmitriev denied the photographs had anything to do with pornography, saying that he took them in case social care services accused him of beating her. He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted. At the end of December, an expert group found no pornographic content in the pictures, and the court, in Karelia, a region in northwestern Russia, refused to extend his detention beyond Jan. 28. BUCHAREST, Romania Same-sex spouses should be afforded the same rights to live and work across the European Union as married heterosexual couples, regardless of individual member countries stance on same-sex marriage, a senior legal adviser to the European Unions top court said on Thursday. The opinion, related to a case before the Court of Justice involving a Romanian man and his American husband, is not binding, but the court generally follows such advisories. Although member states are free to authorize marriage between persons of the same sex or not, they may not impede the freedom of residence of an E.U. citizen by refusing to grant his or her spouse of the same sex, a national of a non-E.U. country, a right of permanent residence in their territory, the senior adviser, Advocate General Melchior Wathelet, said in a statement the court released. Adrian Coman, a Romanian, and Claibourn Robert Hamilton, an American, married in Belgium in 2010, seven years after the country legalized same-sex marriage. A few years later, Romania denied Mr. Hamilton spousal residency rights, however, arguing that he could not be considered the spouse of a European Union citizen given that Romania does not recognize same-sex marriage. GENEVA The United Nations expressed alarm on Thursday about a surge of fighting and destruction in the Idlib Province of northwestern Syria, the last major area of the country held by insurgents, where assaults by Russian-backed Syrian forces have put tens of thousands of civilians at risk. United Nations relief officials also called on Thursday for an urgent humanitarian pause in fighting around Eastern Ghouta, the rebel-held Damascus suburb where roughly 400,000 civilians have long been trapped without access to emergency aid. The assault on Idlib, including areas near the Turkish border, has forced more than 100,000 people to flee for safety since the start of December, Jan Egeland, the United Nations adviser on humanitarian affairs in Syria, said after a meeting of a humanitarian task force in Geneva on Thursday. The United Nations estimates Idlibs population at 2.5 million, including more than a million who fled or were evacuated to the province to escape offensives elsewhere in the country, and who are packed into camps scattered across the province. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider subscribing to our ePaper and/or free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. A fund managed by Morgan Stanley PE Asia has invested INR 152 Cr in Manna Foods Business oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer A fund managed by Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia has invested INR 152 Cr in Southern Health Foods, makers of "Manna Foods" brand of natural health food products. Manna Foods' flagship product, Manna Health Mix is a ready to cook improvisation of 'sathumaavu', a traditional homemade multi-grain mixture of cereals, millets and pulses that is cooked in hot milk. Apart from its flagship product, Manna Foods has a strong suite of health food products including ready to cook millet based infant food, millet grains, soya nuggets, dried fruits, purees, pastes etc. Manna is a well-known household brand in South India, trusted by a huge number of households. "Led by Manna Health Mix, Manna Foods has created a unique health food platform with an array of natural, preservative-free and ethnic food products range. At a time when people are quitting synthetic preparations and switching over to organic and traditional food, Manna Foods is excited about the partnership with Morgan Stanley to write a true success story in Health Foods space in India", said I.S.A.K Nazar, Company promoter. Arjun Saigal, Co-Head of Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia in India, said, "We are excited to back a fast growing brand such as Manna which has consistently delivered on its customer promise of natural, healthy and high quality products. At a time when India's eating habits and lifestyles are creating health challenges, we believe that Manna's natural foods are well positioned to offer appealing choices to consumers. Additionally, foods based on home-grown grains such as millets are regaining popularity, offering 'superfood'-type nutritional content at an affordable cost. We look forward to driving Manna's next phase of growth." The proceeds will be used to fund Company's expansion in South India as well as provide part exit to existing investors. The Company had earlier raised INR 30 Cr from early growth investors led by Fulcrum in 2015. "Having partnered with Manna in 2015, Fulcrum has been very happy working with the Manna team under the able leadership of Mr. Nazar. We have always felt that Manna has a strong brand and the same has reflected in the strong sales growth posted by the Company over the past 2 years. Joining hands with Morgan Stanley will further help strengthen Company's positioning in the FMCG space", said Ethan Khatri, Partner at Fulcrum. MAPE Advisory Group acted as the sole financial advisor for the transaction. About Southern Health Foods Southern Health Foods is the maker of "Manna Foods" brand of natural health food products. Founded in 2000 and headquartered in Chennai, Manna manufactures and sells ethnic millet based breakfast cereals, instant drink mixes, infant foods, dried fruits and other everyday food products that are 100% natural, have high nutritional value and are gluten free/diabetic friendly. Manna's health foods are based on traditional household recipes and are made from natural nutrient rich ingredients that boost mental and physical development, increase immunity and improve digestion. Today, Manna has a marketing network of 40+ super-stockists and over 500 distributors that cater to 67,250+ retail outlets across 350 towns in India. About Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia is one of the leading private equity investors in Asia-Pacific, having invested in the region for over 20 years. Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia invests primarily in highly structured minority investments and control buyouts in growth-oriented companies. The experienced investment team is led by senior professionals with extensive industry relationships, in-depth market knowledge and the ability to apply international investment principles within each local context. Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia has offices in Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Seoul, Tokyo, Mumbai and New York, and leverages the brand and unparalleled global network of Morgan Stanley. About Fulcrum Fulcrum is a private equity investor specializing in Indian Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare opportunities. The team comprises of a seasoned investment & operational professionals with hands on domain expertise. Founded in 2000, by the promoters of erstwhile pharmaceutical company - American Remedies, Fulcrum has built a strong track record for adding operational value to portfolio companies and generating superior returns. Contact Details: Ms. Jayashree Southern Health Foods Private Limited 129, Z BLOCK (PLOT # 1160), 6th AVENUE, ANNA NAGAR CHENNAI - 40 P: 044- 2628 3991 / 2628 6620; Mobile: 9840283164 website: www.mannafoods.in Assam: Indefinite curfew in Dhula town after man dies in police firing during protest India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Guwahati, Jan 11: On Wednesday, Dhula town in Assam's Darrang district remained tensed after a person died and several others were injured in a police firing. Prior to the police firing incident, at least 5,000 people gathered in front of the Dhula Police Station to protest against the alleged custodial death of a person. According to reports, policemen resorted to lathi-charge and firing as protesters went unruly. In order to control the situation, authorities have imposed an indefinite curfew in the town. The mob burnt tyres, blocked NH-15 and gheraoed the police station claiming that one of their co-villagers had died due to torture in police custody after being picked up from his home, according to district deputy commissioner Ashok Kumar Barman. The villagers alleged the 37-year-old man was picked up from his residence in remote Attakari village number 2 on Tuesday night and demanded his body. Officials said the man was arrested on suspicion of possessing illegal arms. The protests continued despite the suspension of the police station in-charge and assurance of stern action against policemen found guilty. District Superintendent of Police Sreejith T told PTI the mob brick-batted the police station, breaking windows and glass panes of doors. He said seven personnel were injured in the attack, prompting the police to open fire near Kharupetia to control the situation. One person was killed in the police firing and two others, including a woman, injured, he said. Following this, indefinite curfew was clamped in the area under the Dhula police station barring NH-15, Barman said. Security measures in the area were also tightened to prevent any untoward incident, he said. Those injured in the brick-batting were a deputy sub-inspector, headquarters, Kharupetia police station officer-in-charge and three security personnel of Darrang SP's office and two other constables, Sreejith said. He said when the man, whom the police had picked up, was being taken to the police station, he complained that he was feeling unwell and was rushed to the hospital first, and then taken into the custody. He was later taken to Guwahati Medical College. On being asked if the man died due to police torture as alleged by the villagers, the SP replied that anything can be said only after investigation. The district administration on instructions of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has ordered a magisterial enquiry by Additional Deputy Commissioner, Law and Order, Naranarayan Nath. He would submit his report within 15 days, official sources said. Meanwhile, an official release in Guwahati said Sonowal expressed concern over the incident and ordered another enquiry by Additional Chief Secretary MGVK Bhanu. The opposition, however, said the enquiry ordered was "inadequate" and demanded a judicial probe into the incident. The leader of Opposition in Assam Debabrata Saikia of the Congress alleged that incidents of firing, use of teargas shells and lathi charge by the police have become frequent in the past few months in the state. The Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti accused the BJP-led government in the state of running a "police raj" and misusing power over the common people. "The Dhula incident is a clear case of violation of human rights. People came out on roads to peacefully protest the death of a person in police custody but they were received by bullets. Such incidents are not happening for the first time," the KMSS said in a statement. OneIndia News Viral Video: Meet 'Aunty skates', 46-year-old woman who is breaking the stereotypes wth her skateboards Fighting all odds, Kerala woman who once sold lemonade, ice cream to survive now joins police force Arrest lucknow girl trends on Twitter after video of woman thrashing cab driver goes viral Justice BV Nagarathna in line to become Indias first woman Chief Justice of India in 2027 Haryana: Billed 20 Lakhs by hospital, alleges family of pregnant woman who died India oi-Madhuri A pregnant woman, who was suffering from fever, died at Faridabad's Asian Hospital on January 11. The Hospital administration handed over a bill of Rs 18 Lakh to her family for a 22-days treatment. According to uncle,''She had fever but was shifted to ICU. They said she has typhoid & later said she has a perforated intestine. They asked us to submit Rs 3 Lakh for operation & said it'll be done once the entire amount is submitted. We submitted Rs 10-12 Lakh so far. They asked for Rs 18 Lakh.'' However, Relatives demanded an investigation against hospital administration. Earlier, Fortis Hospital in Gurugram came under the scanner for charging 15 lakhs for the treatment of a 7-year-old girl suffering from dengue, who later died. OneIndia News In a first, nine Supreme Court judges to take oath at once on Tuesday Hindu prayers in Central schools: SC to examine plea India oi-Vicky By Vicky The Supreme Court has issued notices to the Centre on a plea that questioned the practise of making students in Kendriya Vidhyalayas recite prayers in Hindi and Sanskrit. The petitioner contended that this practise amounted to the violation of religious freedom of students of other faiths. These schools should be barred from following this practise, the petitioner also said. This amounts to the violation of Fundamental Rights under Articles 25 and 28 of the Constitution, the petitioner, Veenayak Shah contended. The petitioners whose children passed out of Kendriya Vidhyalaya school said that the morning prayers begin with a recitation of prayers in Sanskrit and Hindi which are based on Hindu religion. The above prayer is being enforced throughout the country in all Kendriya Vidhalayas. As a result, parents and children of the minority communities as well as atheist and others who do not agree with this system of prayers such as agnostics, scepticists, rationalists and others would find the imposition of this prayer constitutionally impermissible, the petitioner also contended. OneIndia News Crucial by-poll to held for Mamata Banerjee on Sep 30, counting on Oct 3 Mamata Banerjee receives D Litt from Calcutta varsity India oi-Deepika By Deepika West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday was honoured with a Doctorate of Literature (D.Litt.) degree by the Calcutta University. Banerjee, an alumnus of the university, was recognised for her social service. Speaking at the convocation ceremony, Banerjee said, "Intolerance is rising in the country. History should not be distorted. India has diversity of origin and we should respect that." Former North Bengal University VC Ranju Gopal Mukhopadhyay had moved a public interest litigation on Monday challenging the university ' s decision to give a DLitt to Mamata Banerjee. The CU has announced that it will bestow the honorary D.Litt on the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief, an alumnus, for her contribution to social service at its convocation on January 11. Advocate General Kishore Dutta submitted before a division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice J Bhattacharya and Justice Arijit Banerjee that the decision to confer the honorary degree was taken by the syndicate and senate of the university and there was no sufferance of public interest. Dutta claimed that as such it should not be treated as a PIL and the petition should be dismissed. Petitioner Ranjugopal Mukherjee, a former professor of the university, claimed that the decision to confer the award was arbitrary and opaque. His counsel Bikas Bhattacharya submitted that university issues and education itself are of public interest and as such the petition was justified to be a PIL. He submitted that the syndicate or senate decision did not attribute any reason for conferring the award on Banerjee. In their petition, the petitioners have argued that Calcutta University is a state-funded institution and will suffer a "credibility loss" if it confers the degree upon the highest executive authority of the state. Petitioners also argue that serious doubts have already been raised in public domain over academic credentials of Mamata Banerjee including her so-called "PhD Degree" which she herself refrains from using. However, the AG said there was no bar on awarding the honorary degree to an incumbent chief minister, and submitted that Pranab Mukherjee was conferred the degree when he was the president of the country. The West Bengal government told the HC that a PIL challenging Calcutta University's decision to confer honorary D.Litt to CM Mamata was politically motivated. Claiming that the petition "is out and out in political interest," Dutta submitted that "except character assassination, nothing is there." Appearing for the university, counsel Saktinath Mukherjee submitted that the petition lacked "justifiability" and should be rejected at the outset. OneIndia News (with agency inputs) JNU makes minimum 75 pc attendance compulsory for students India pti-PTI New Delhi, Jan 11: Jawaharlal Nehru University administration has made minimum 75 per cent attendance compulsory for all students. However, if a student is absent on valid medical grounds then 60 per cent attendance will suffice. The circular issued by Assistant Registrar(Evaluation) Sajjan Singh, based on recommendations of the compulsory attendance committee, said, for students of BA, MA, MSc, MTech, PG diploma, MPhil, Phd and all part-time programmes a minimum of 75 per cent attendance in a course in mandatory for appearing in the end-semester examination. "If a student of part-time programme, BA, MA, MSc, MTech, PG diploma, Mphil and Phd course work is absent on valid medical grounds, a minimum 60 per cent attendance will suffice," it said. When contacted, Sajjan Singh was not available for comments. The committee, whose recommendations have been accepted, has also said at least two contact/interaction sessions with the supervisor in a month is mandatory. "MPhil and PhD students who are absent from the university on valid academic grounds must have prior approval from supervisor/chairperson of the centre concerned and the competent authority," the circular said. The MPhil and PhD students have also been granted 30 days leave in an academic year with the supervisor's permission. "An attendance sheet which has been attached with the circular will be completed for each lecture/practical/lab by course instructor/teacher. The sheet will be submitted by the teacher on the same day at centre/school office," the circular said. The centre/school office will maintain the attendance records and a copy of the sheets will be submitted every month, it added. JNU Teachers Association announced its decision to boycott the compulsory attendance for students and said it was "unproductive" and "meaningless" form of bureaucratic work for teachers. PTI 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 Kamala Mills fire: '1Above' pub co-owner Abjijeet Mankar arrested, all 3 owners in custody India oi-Deepika By Deepika The three owners of resto-bar 1Above in the city's Kamala Mills compound, where a fire killed 14 people in December, were arrested by the Mumbai Police late on Wednesday night. The only accused missing now is Yug Tuli, the owner of Mojo's Bistro. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone III) Virendra Mishra confirmed that Mankar had been picked up and placed under arrest early on Thursday morning. Late on Wednesday night, the police had arrested Jigar and Kripesh Sanghvi, the other co-owners of 1Above. The Sanghvis and their partner Abhijeet Mankar had gone underground after police charged them with culpable homicide. On Tuesday, Vishal Karya, a known face in Mumbai's social circles was arrested for allegedly helping Abhijeet Mankar evade arrest. A fire broke out in Mojo's Bistro and spread to the adjoining 1Above, also injuring 55 others. The Mumbai Police had filed a case initially against the management of 1Above but later also added the names of the owners of Mojo's Bistro. 1Above and Mojo's Bistro are pubs located on the rooftop of a building in Kamala Mills Compound. According to the probe by the fire department, the fire started at Mojo's Bistro and spread to 1Above on December 29. Last week, the police on Saturday arrested Yug K Pathak, the son of a retired DGP-rank IPS officer and the co-owner of The Mojo's Bistro, where 14 people were killed in a fire on December 29. Prior to Pathak's arrest, two managers of '1 Above' pub Kevin Bawa and Lisbon Lopez were also arrested in connection with the fire tragedy. An offence of culpable homicide not amounting to murder under sections 304, 337, 338, 34 of the Indian Penal Code was registered against the three owners of '1 Above' at the NM Joshi Marg police station following the incident. OneIndia News PM Modi lauds Karnataka chief secretary for her benevolence India oi-Chennabasaveshwar By Chennabasaveshwar Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Karnataka chief secretary K Ratna Prabha as a role model for her peers and citizens during all-India deputy commissioners' conference recently in New Delhi. PM Modi said he was inspired by a tweet of a senior IAS officer, who recalled how her small benevolence to a shepherd, some 27 years ago, brought a smile to her face. "Though I cannot recollect her name, such officers should be a role model for others," Modi said. "It's heartening to know this country has such officers. If all officers and lawmakers follow in her footsteps, no one can stop this country from progressing, " Times of India quoted PM Modi as saying. Narsappa of Idapnur village Raichur said he was grazing sheep near a school & I was passing by as DC in my car, stopped called the school teacher & admitted him & now 27 years later he was before me as a constable.came to Thank Me!! Cant believe small actions hve lasting results. Ratna Prabha (@Ratnaprabha_IAS) January 3, 2018 Ratna Prabha shared an incident on Twitter. When she was deputy commissioner of Raichur district she had helped a shepherd, Narasappa, get admission in school. After 27 years Narasappa came to meet and thank the Chief Secretary. On January 3, Ratna Prabha had tweeted: "Narasappa of Idapnur village Raichur said he was grazing sheep near a school & I was passing by as DC in my car, stopped called the school teacher & admitted him & now 27 years later he was before me as a constable. came to Thank Me!! Cant believe small actions have lasting results''. Reacting to this, Ratna Prabha tweeted, PM Modi's appreciation was more than awards and certificates she received in her career. As Congrats pour in, inplenty Im humbled by our Prime Ministers mention of my tweet. wld have recd many certiificates& medals(stored in mycupboard) this Live Certificate from the revered PM will remain in my heart & people forever. Its the most treasured certificate & compliment Ratna Prabha (@Ratnaprabha_IAS) January 10, 2018 OneIndia News In the Talibans victory at Kabul, Al-Qaeda has a loud message on Jammu and Kashmir 'Prevent channels from spreading vicious propaganda in Kashmir', MHA told India oi-Vicky By Vicky The Centre's interlocutor in Jammu and Kashmir, Dineshwar Sharma has sought the intervention of the Union Home Ministry about the propaganda that is being spread by some television channels. "It does not help the cause when channels spread vicious propaganda against Kashmiris", he has told the Home Ministry. "When these channels air such propaganda, it tends to defeat the purpose of talks", he also said. The Home Ministry is likely to convene a meeting with the representatives of the channels shortly. The Home Ministry would, however, tread carefully on the matter as it would not want to step on the freedom of the press. During the meeting, the Home Ministry would tell the channels to tread responsibly on the issue. There is no point in making a mountain of a molehill, the ministry would say. For instance, when four to five students are involved in incidents of stone pelting, channels would try and depict that the entire student community is involved. This paints Kashmiris in very poor light and the very purpose of talking peace in Kashmir is defeated. OneIndia News "RSS, BJP are terrorist organisations," says Siddaramaiah, political war breaks out in Karnataka India oi-Anusha Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah calls BJP, RSS terror organisation | Oneindia News Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's statement calling the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Bajrang Dal and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) "terrorist organisations" have led to a political uproar in the state. The BJP has now decided to launch a statewide "jail bharo" protest condemning Siddaramaiah's statement. KPCC working President, Dinesh Gundu Rao's statement backing Siddaramaiah's claims have only led to more protest and anger from the BJP in Karnataka which is scheduled to face assembly polls later this year. "Hindutva should be in our hearts and not on our plates or the food we eat. What they (BJP) are preaching is not Hindutva. They are followers of Nathuram Godse. They are not Hindus, they lack humanity. They are like terrorist organisations, only Hindutva terrorists," Siddaramaiah, Chief Minister, Karnataka had said on Wednesday. The Congress leader reiterated his statement on Thursday despite criticisms from the BJP. During a protest in Bengaluru on Wednesday, KPCC working PResident Dinesh gundu Rao repeated Siddaramaiah's allegations and accused the BJP of promoting violence in the name of Hindutva. "The BJP is becoming a terrorist organisation. I am making this serious allegation. Talk about empowerment, development, infrastructure and actual issues but the BJP does not want to. All they want to talk about is Violence, Hindutva and Manuwad. Dinesh Gundu Rao, Working President, KPCC said. On Thursday, Rao said that the BJP's demands to ban PFI were mere agenda-driven politics since the power to ban any organisation was vested with the union government. "Banning PFI or SDPI or Bajrang Dal is the Central Government's job, if they have proof then they can ban any organization. If we don't believe in a fascist ideology like Hindutva which produces terrorists and hate doesn't mean we are not Hindus, in fact, we are more Hindu than BJP RSS who use religion for politics," he added. The BJP meanwhile has challenged the Congress government in Karnataka to arrest its members if the organisation was breeding terror. BJP leader and Member of Parliament Shobha Karandlaje have given all party workers a call to take up 'Jail Bharo" protests across the state on Friday. "We urge both Siddaramaiah and Dinesh Gundu Rao to tender an unconditional and unqualified apology. If not, this jail bharo programme will continue," Shobha Karandlaje said. The BJP has been seething ever since Congress leaders called the party as well as its ideological head, the RSS, terrorist organisations. "Who is the terrorist organisation in the state? It is the PFI which is encouraged by you. It is indulging in jehadi activities and I am not making these claims, the Kerala police, as well as NIA dossiers, are making these claims. You set the PFI, SDPI, KFD members accused in 175 criminal cases scottfree so they can create havoc in the state and then accuse the BJP?," asked Malavika Avinash, spokesperson, BJP. Karnataka has been witnessing communal unrest for months now and the murders of Deepak Rao and Ahmed Basheer in Suratkal this year has only fueled the unrest further. While the BJP has accused the Congress government of turning a blind eye towards the murders of Hindu activists, the Congress has alleged that the saffron party has been using the unfortunate deaths to further Hindutva as their election agenda and polarise the masses ahead of the Karnataka assembly polls. OneIndia News SNC-Lavalin case: SC agrees to examine Pinarayi Vijayan's aquittal, issues notice India oi-Vikas By Vikas The Supreme Court on Thursday issued a notice to Pinarayi Vijayan in the SNC-Lavalin corruption case based on the CBI appeal against the discharge of Kerala Chief Minister and two others from all charges. The CBI had approached the apex court after the Kerala High Court upheld Pinarayi Vijayan's acquittal in the controversial SNC-Lavalin case. The matter is related to late 1990s when Vijayan was Power Minister in Kerala. A Bench of Justices N.V. Ramana and Abdul Nazeer issued notice on the CBI appeal against the discharge of Mr Vijayan, K. Mohanachandran, former principal secretary, Department of Power; and A. Francis, then joint secretary in the same department said reports. In August, Justice Ubaid bench of the Kerala High Court held that Vijayan was being made a scapegoat in the case and upheld the lower court order acquitting him of all charges. Vijayan along with other accused was acquitted by the Thiruvananthapuram special court earlier. The CBI had filed charges of criminal conspiracy against Pinarayi Vijayan for influencing the Rs 374 crore deal. The case pertains to alleged irregularities in a project dating back to 1995 when the Kerala government signed a memorandum of understanding with Canadian company SNC-Lavalin for the renovation and modernization of the Pallivasal, Sengulam, and Panniar hydroelectric projects. The total deal was worth Rs 374 crore and as per the contract sanctioned by the state cabinet, the company was supposed to provide a grant of Rs 98.30 crore to the Malabar Cancer Institute. The hospital, however, received an amount of Rs 8.98 crore. The CAG reported a largescale loss to the exchequer in the deal due to technical defects in the equipment renovated. The CAG also said that the very objective of improvement in power generation could not be achieved since there was no improvement in the efficiency of the machines. In 2007 the Kerala High Court ordered a CBI inquiry into the case. OneIndia News Suspected LeT terrorist arrested from Delhi airport India oi-Vikas By Vikas A suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist was arrested from Delhi airport on Wednesday evening. 37-year-old Bilal Ahmed Kawa was allegedly involved in a terrorist attack on Red Fort, Delhi, on December 22, 2000. The suspected terrorist was arrested in a joint operation by the Special Cell of Delhi Police and Gujarat ATS. On the evening of December 22, 2000, LeT terrorists sneaked into the Red Fort and began firing indiscriminately. The left two armymen and one civilian dead. The terrorists then escaped from the spot by scaling the wall. In 2001, Delhi Police had filed chargesheet against one Ashfaq and 21 others in the case. However, the special sessions court hearing the matter framed charges only against 11, including Ashfaq and Rehmana. The court sentenced Ashfaq to death, while his four accomplices, including his wife, were give seven years in prison. Two more terrorists convicted in the case were given a life term. OneIndia News The Tashkent Files- Movie on mysterious death of Lal Bahadur Shastri India oi-Chennabasaveshwar By Chennabasaveshwar Tributes poured in on the 52nd death anniversary of India's second prime minister of India Lal Bahadur Shastri, the man who gave the iconic slogan 'Jai Jawan Jai Kisan'. Leaders cutting across party paid their tribute. Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute in a tweet, "We pay homage to Shastriji on his punya tithi (death anniversary). His impeccable service and courageous leadership will be remembered for generations to come." Congress party paid tribute, saying "Lal Bahadur Shastri, India's second Prime Minister. He was instrumental in setting up the National Dairy Development Board which then led to the White Revolution." His died on 11 January 1966 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, a day after signing the Tashkent Declaration, reportedly due to cardiac arrest. His death remains one of biggest mysteries of modern India. Award-winning filmmaker and writer Vivek Agnihotri are set to direct a movie- 'The Tashkent Files', based on the mysterious death of Lal Bahadur Shastri. Agnihotri has roped in ace actors Naseeruddin Shah and Mithun Chakraborty in the lead roles. Still, the hunt is on for the role of Shastri. On this day, our 2nd PM Lal Bahadur Shashtri died mysteriously in Tashkent. Was it heart attack or poison? Even after 52 yrs, the truth of the biggest cover-up of free India has been denied to his family, followers, citizens. After years of research, I present #TheTashkentFiles pic.twitter.com/k53WBSrKk8 Vivek Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) January 11, 2018 OneIndia News Not on May 23, it was on July 30 that the opposition truly lost Triple talaq bill: Centre mulls ordinance route India oi-Vicky By Vicky The government is likely to take the ordinance route to criminalise triple talaq. The decision comes in the wake of the failure to muster up the numbers to push the triple talaq bill in the Rajya Sabha. The government is looking at various options including a joint session of Parliament during the budget session in a bid to push the bill through. The bill went through in the Lok Sabha but was stuck in the Rajya Sabha after the opposition and an NDA ally, the TDP expressing reservation. The opposition demanded that the bill is referred to the parliamentary committee for review. The bill proposes to make instant triple talaq a criminal offence. There is a non-bailable provision in the bill and it also provides for three years imprisonment along with a fine. The Centre is currently mulling several options to push the bill through. In all probability, the Centre is likely to take the ordinance route for now. Following this, a joint session of Parliament is likely to be convened during the budget session to ensure that the bill sees the light of the day. OneIndia News Venkaiah Naidu offers worship at Lord Venkateswara shrine in Tirupati India pti-PTI Tirupati(AP), Jan 11: On his maiden visit to the famous shrine after assuming office as the Vice President, M Venkaiah Naidu offered prayers at the famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara in Tirumala near at the crack of dawn on Thursday. Naidu arrived at Tirupati by an Indian Air Force aircraft last evening and stayed at a heavily-guarded Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) guest house on the hills. His family members too came to Tirupati separately from Nellore and accompanied the vice president to the shrine on the hills. On his maiden visit after assuming office as vice president on August 11 last year, Naidu was accorded a warm welcome with full temple honours and conducted to the sanctum sanctorum by priests amid Vedic hymns, temple sources told PTI. He was in the shrine for about half an hour, they said. After offering prayers at the Sri Ranganayaka Mandapam inside the temple, Naidu was honoured with sacred silk cloth and holy prasadams while a group of priests bestowed divine blessings upon the him. Later, speaking to reporters outside the temple, he said all countries were keenly watching ancient Hindu practices, culture and spirituality that taught how to lead a meaningful life. Quoting Swami Vivekananda and other Hindu personalities, Naidu said Hinduism should not be treated as a religion or a way of worship but as a way of great kind of living that harms none. PTI CORR ROH AAR "We are of no use to society": Elderly couple write to President seeking euthanasia India oi-Vikas By Vikas Mumbai couple demands 'Active Euthanasia' , writes to President Kovind | Oneindia News If the President has the power to pardon life sentences then he ought to have power to "right to death", said 86-year-old Narayan Lavate who along with his wife have written to President Ram Nath Kovind seeking permission for an "active euthanasia". Euthanasia is the practice of intentionally ending a life to relieve pain and suffering. Voluntary euthanasia is legal in some countries. Non-voluntary euthanasia is illegal in all countries. Terminally ill patients are in some countries allowed to end lives with medical help. The entire issue of euthanasia is highly debated and a is the most active area of research in contemporary bioethics. The Lavate couple, who have requested the President for active euthanasia, do not have any health problems, reported ANI. They also do not have any hardships in life, yet they say that "we do not want to live". "At present, we don't have any ailment or deformity. There is no guarantee that it'll be the case even in future. Instead of living further and creating trouble for others it is better to die," Narayan Lavate told ANI. Narayan Lavate, who retired in 1989 from the State Transport Corporation, said that he and his wife do not have any children. "At this stage of life, we simply do not want to live. We don't have hardship in our life but still, we do not want to live," said Iravati Lavate who is former principal of a High School in Mumbai. "I have had two operations. It is not possible for me to go out alone. It is tough for me to sit idle. I was a teacher. What is the purpose for me live now," Iravati Lavate added. Passive euthanasia is legal in India under exceptional circumstances. On March 7, 2011, the Supreme Court of India legalised passive euthanasia by means of the withdrawal of life support to patients in a permanent vegetative state. The decision was made as part of the verdict in a case involving Aruna Shanbaug, who had been in a Persistent Vegetative State (PVS) until her death in 2015. OneIndia News 'Why cant we bar you from practising in courts', Bar Council asks MPs, MLAs India oi-Vicky By Vicky The Bar Council of India has sought to know why it cannot bar Members of Parliament and Members of State Legislative Assemblies from practising. The BCI sought to know why those MPs and MLAs doubling up as advocates should not be barred from practise. The question was asked on a plea filed by an advocate, Ashwini Upadhyay seeking to bar legislators from practise. He contended that MPs and MLAs are salaried public servants and they cannot be riding two horses at a time. There are at least 500 lawmakers who are practising advocates in various courts including the Supreme Court of India. The BCI will now issue notices to the MPs and MLAs and also seek their response in the matter. A meeting of the BCI is scheduled to be held on January 21 where a final decision would be taken after examining the Advocates Act. In the petitio, it was contended that legislators draw salaries from the consolidated fund of India and hence are employees of the state. Under the BCI rules a salaried employee is restricted from practising as an advocate, the petitioner pointed out. It was also stated such practise amounted to professional misconduct. OneIndia News Yogi Adityanath is Oneindia's Newsmaker 2017; Who else are in the top five India oi-Vikas By Vikas Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has got the most number of votes in Oneindia's Newsmaker 2017 polls. The firebrand BJP leader topped the list, comprising of famous people from all walks of life, by getting 19 % votes. It has to be said that Adityanath's rise in 2017 was meteoric. From being Member of Parliament from Gorakhpur, to being chosen as Chief Minister of a state which has a significant impact on national politics, his rise has been phenomenal. Adityanath is also the Mahant or head priest of the Gorakhnath Math, a position he has held since the death of his spiritual father, Mahant Avaidyanath, in September 2014. Adityanath was born as Ajay Mohan Bisht on 5 June 1972 in the village of Panchur, in Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand. His father Anand Singh Bisht was a forest ranger. He completed his bachelor's degree in Mathematics from the Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University in Uttarakhand. He left his home in the 1990s to join the Ram temple movement. He was influenced by the preachings Mahant Avaidyanath, the chief priest of the Gorakhnath Math and became his disciple. Subsequently, he was given the name 'Yogi Adityanath' and designated as the successor of the Mahant Avaidyanath. Adityanath first won Lok Sabha election in 1998 and became youngest MP in the 12th Lok Sabha. He was 26-years-old then. He has won five consecutive terms from Gorakhpur seat since then. Adityanath is said to be so strong in this region that the BJP, as per some reports, used to be scared to field candidates without his consent. In 2007, Adityanath threatened to field 70 candidates for the state assembly against the BJP candidates. But he reached a compromise in the end. Since becoming the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Adityanath launched several initiatives including the cleanliness drive, banning of illegal slaughterhouses, forming of anti-Romeo squads, transferring of many police officials and ban on the use of tobacco products in government offices. Many of his moves were criticised by the opposition, but Adityanath paid no heed. How others fared in Newsmaker 2017 polls: Miss World Manushi Chillar Miss World Manushi Chillar stood second in the Oneindia Newsmakers 2017 polls. She got 18% votes in the poll. Manushi Chillar won the Miss World 2017 pageant and became sixth Indian woman to win the title. Chillar won the title after a gap of almost 16 years after Priyanka Chopra won Miss World in 2000. She is pursuing a medical degree at the Bhagat Phool Singh Medical College in Sonipat. Mukesh Ambani Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) chairman Mukesh Ambani stood third in the Oneindia Newsmakers 2017 polls by getting 9% of the total votes.His net worth is 38 billion dollars. He has retained his spot as the world's richest Indian for the tenth consecutive year. Nirmala Sitharaman Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stood fourth in the Oneindia Newsmakers 2017 polls by getting 8% votes. In September last year, Sitharaman became India's first full-fledged defence minister.Sitharaman has served as a Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs under the Ministry of Finance headed by Arun Jaitley and the Minister of Commerce and Industry with independent charge. She is a Rajya Sabha member and represents Karnataka in the Parliament. Kasinathuni Viswanath Veteran Telugu actor, director, and screenwriter Kasinathuni Viswanath stood fifth in the Oneindia's Newsmakers 2017 polls by bagging 7% votes.Viswanath was awarded the 2017 Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest award in Indian cinema, at the 64th National Film Awards.In a film career spanning sixty years, Viswanath has directed fifty-three feature films in a variety of genres, including films based on performing arts, visual arts, and aesthetics. OneIndia News China distracted the world from Ladakh by opening up three fronts in South China Sea China objects to Indian investment in South China Sea International pti-PTI Beijing, Jan 11: China said it is firmly opposed to infringement of its rights using development of bilateral ties as an "excuse" and objected to Vietnam's invitation to India to invest in oil and natural gas sector in the disputed the South China Sea. Vietnam's Ambassador to India Ton Sinh Thanh on Tuesday had told an Indian news channel that his country would welcome Indian investments in the South China Sea. Responding to remarks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said: "China does not object to the development of normal bilateral relations of relevant countries in our neighbourhood". "But China firmly opposes relevant party to use it as an excuse to infringe upon China's legitimate rights and interests in the South China Sea and impair regional peace and stability," Lu said. Ton had also said defence cooperation is one of the important and effective areas of cooperation between India and Vietnam and India can be helpful in expanding Vietnams defence capabilities. China has been opposing India's Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) exploring oil in wells claimed by Vietnam in the South China Sea (SCS) for years. India has been asserting that the ONGC's exploration is a commercial operation and not connected with the dispute. China claims almost all of the SCS while Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counterclaims. Oil exploration in the SCS is a sensitive issue in the Vietnam-China relations. India, which is ramping up ties with Vietnam, calls for freedom of navigation in the SCS through which trillions of dollars of trade happens every year.There were anti-China riots in Vietnam when China tried to deploy oil rigs in areas claimed by Vietnam few years ago. PTI Biden says another terror attack likely in 24-36 hours, vows to keep up airstrikes against ISIS PM Modi likely to visit US later this month Dont travel to J&K, US asks citizens to exercise caution while visiting India International oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Washington, Jan 11: How much travel advisories issued by the United States (US) affect the flow of American tourists to India? Experts say, not much. According to data, over 1.3 million Americans visited India in 2016. The flow of tourists from the US grew 27 per cent over the last four years in 2016. America accounts for around 15 per cent of India's foreign tourist arrivals and is now the second largest source market for Indian tourism, stated a report by Business Standard. Once again, the US has issued a new travel advisory for countries including India on Wednesday. According to American officials, the travel advisory is "user-friendly" as it is based on the ready-to-understand level of advice ranging from one to four. India has been ranked Level 2 (exercise increased caution) while Pakistan has been placed in Level 3 (reconsider travel). Level 1 advises travellers to exercise normal precaution, while Level 4, which has countries like Afghanistan, recommends "Do Not Travel". Now every country has a travel advisory based on this system, which has replaced all the previous such advisories. "These improvements will provide US citizens with clear, timely, and reliable safety and security information worldwide," the State Department said. Placing India on Level 2, the State Department identified "crime and terrorism" for Americans to exercise increased caution. However, it asks Americans not to travel to Jammu and Kashmir, except for eastern Ladakh and Leh and not to venture within 10 miles of the India-Pakistan border due to the "potential for armed conflict". The State Department explained that while it will issue an overall travel advisory level for every country, levels of advice may vary for specific locations or areas within a country. "Indian authorities report rape is one of the fastest growing crimes in India. Violent crime, such as sexual assault, has occurred at tourist sites and in other locations," the new India travel advisory said. Terrorists or armed groups are active in east-central India, primarily in rural areas, it added. "Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, and local government facilities," it said. Ranking Pakistan on Level 3, the State Department asked Americans to reconsider travel to this country due to terrorism. It advises Americans not to travel to travel to Balochistan province, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province, and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) due to terrorism. Americans are also advised not to travel to Pak-Occupied Kashmir due to terrorism and the potential for armed conflict. "Over the past six months, there have been at least 40 significant terrorist attacks across Pakistan, resulting in over 225 deaths and 475 wounded, most of which occurred in Balochistan, KPK, and the FATA. In the past, there have been large-scale terrorist attacks resulting in hundreds of casualties," it said. If one goes through the travel advisory issued by the US for its citizens, India has nothing much to cheer. From rape to terror attacks, India is vulnerable to some of the worst crimes in the world. "Every country has its own problems. India too has its specific issues. It does not mean that India is an unfriendly country for tourists. We have witnessed some horrific incidents against tourists in the country. In spite of all these problems, India is a favourite tourist destination," said a Delhi-based tour operator. According to the tour operator, most Americans love to travel to Agra, Jaipur, Kolkata and parts of Kerala whenever they visit India. OneIndia News UNICEF highlights the plight of 60,000 Rohingya children trapped in Myanmar International oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Geneva, Jan 11: The latest report by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) brings to light the plight of thousands of Rohingya children in Myanmar's trouble-torn Rakhine state. According to the UNICEF, 60,000 Rohingya children remain nearly forgotten and trapped in appalling camps in central Rakhine where the shelters teeter on stilts above garbage and excrement. "Partners have identified about 20 children separated from their families during the violence but estimate the total number to be at least 100 - most of whom are in parts of northern Rakhine state that they still cannot access," Marixie Mercado, UNICEF spokesperson told journalists in Geneva recently during a briefing on her visit to Myanmar from December 6 last year through January 3. She painted a harrowing picture of the situation in Rakhine, noting that prior to August 25 last year, when the most recent outbreak of violence occurred, the UNICEF had been treating 4,800 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition; these children are no longer receiving this life-saving treatment. "All 12 of the outpatient therapeutic treatment centres run by our partners are closed because they were either looted, destroyed or staff can't access them," she informed. Mercado called the inability of UN agencies to access vulnerable Rohingya children who remain in northern Myanmar "troubling". She added that while "the eyes of the world" are focused on the 655,000 refugees who have fled across the border into Bangladesh, 60,000 Rohingya children remain "almost forgotten and trapped" in squalid camps in central Rakhine. "The Rohingya children who do remain in rural areas are almost totally isolated. We hear of high levels of toxic fear in children from both Rohingya and Rakhine communities," she said. She stressed that the UNICEF stood ready to work with the Myanmar government and Rakhine state authorities to provide humanitarian relief to all children--regardless of ethnicity, religion, or status--but needed unlimited access. The spokesperson described two of the worst camps that she visited, in Pauktaw township--reachable only by a four-to-five-hour boat ride. "The first thing you notice when you reach the camps is the stomach-churning stench. Parts of the camps are literally cesspools. Shelters teeter on stilts above garbage and excrement," she recounted. "Children walk barefoot through the muck. One camp manager reported four deaths among children ages 3-10 within the first 18 days of December." Mercado also pointed to "an acute level of fear between the Rakhine and Rohingya communities," recalling a story that parents in one Rohingya village said they hadn't had their children vaccinated against Japanese Encephalitis because the government vaccinators were accompanied by security officers--while government workers said they dared not go to Rohingya communities without security. "Rohingya children need a political solution to the issue of legal identity and citizenship. In the interim they need to be recognised first and foremost as children," she said, stressing that the Convention on the Rights of the Child guarantees rights to health, education and opportunities to learn and grow to all children, irrespective of their ethnicity or status or the circumstances in which they find themselves. OneIndia News Trump says India has just been devastated by COVID-19 Collapse of Kabul will go down as one of the greatest defeats in American history: Donald Trump Thousands of terrorists might have been airlifted out of Kabul: Trump slams Biden Never in history has withdrawal from war been handled so badly: Trump 'Working with countries like India a good thing', says Trump International pti-PTI Responding to a question on US desire to improve the relationship with other countries, President Donald Trump has said that working with countries like India, Russia and China is a good, not bad thing. "Working with countries, whether it's Russia or China or India, or any of the countries that surround this world and encompass this world, is a very good thing. That's not a bad thing," he told reporters at a joint White House news conference with Prime Minister, Norway, Erna Solberg. Trump said he was for strongest military, massive oil and gas and a lot of energy. "Putin (Russian President Vladimir Putin) can't love that," he added. Trump said it was "very much better" having to do with North Korea where the US currently has a problem. "That should have never been my problem. It should have been a problem solved many years ago when it was much less dangerous. But it was given to him, along with a big mess of other things," he noted. He blamed former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, his presidential rival in 2016 elections, saying she "was not was not for a strong military". "Hillary, my opponent, was for windmills, and she was for other types of energy that don't have the same capacities at this moment certainly," he said. Trump said it was a "lot better" to work with other countries. "We're working with China on North Korea. We're working with various other countries, and I think we're doing very well. We had a great talk, as you know and as you reported. "We had a great talk this morning with President Moon (of South Korea), and I think that a lot of good things are happening. We're going to see what happens," the US president said. Solberg said Norway has a "very good" relationship with Russia. "As a neighbouring country we do day-to-day work on things that we have to solve for the people and the economic activity that is in that area, which is a fragile area for the whole world," she said. Norway shares the border with Russia. Responding to a question on allegations of Russian interference in elections in European countries, Solberg said her government has found no such evidence in Norway. "I think that it's up to every political system and countries to scrutinise and discuss their own political agenda in their countries. And I respect that very much and that this is an issue for American politics," she said. PTI Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121 "In his groundbreaking new book Bottom Up: Tapping the Power of the Connection Revolution, Rob Kall invites and eases us into in a much-needed meta-level shift -- a truly basic paradigmatic shift from top-down to bottom-up. He capably and imaginatively explores the differences between these ways of approaching life, clearly demonstrating that bottom-up allows us to flourish. His vision and his book are enriched by telling references to interviews which he has engaged in over the years with bottom-up researchers, theorists, activists, and dreamers in a variety of areas. Think about Rob's interviews. Read this revolutionary book. And take one step further into the bottom-up universe yourself. You will not regret it." Bonnie Burstow, MD, author of Psychiatry and the Business of Madness and Radical Feminist Therapy, associate professor at the University of Toronto The story appeared, astonishingly, in The New England Journal of Medicine in the summer of 2007. Adopted as a kitten by the medical staff , Oscar reigned over one floor of the Steere House nursing home in Rhode Island. When the cat would sniff the air, crane his neck and curl up next to a man or woman, it was a sure sign of impending demise. The doctors would call the families to come in for their last visit. Over the course of several years, the cat had curled up next to 50 patients. Every one of them died shortly thereafter. SIDDHARTHA MUKHERJEE, writing for the NYTimes Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too. From Counterpunch (Image by Photo by US Army Africa | CC BY 2.0) Details DMCA There is a real -- but largely concealed -- war which is taking place throughout the African continent. It involves the United States, an invigorated Russia and a rising China. The outcome of the war is likely to define the future of the continent and its global outlook. It is easy to pin the blame on US President Donald Trump, his erratic agenda and impulsive statements. But the truth is, the current US military expansion in Africa is just another step in the wrong direction. It is part of a strategy that had been implemented a decade ago, during the administration of President George W. Bush, and actively pursued by President Barack Obama. In 2007, under the pretext of the "war on terror," the US consolidated its various military operations in Africa to establish the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM). With a starting budget of half a billion dollars, AFRICOM was supposedly launched to engage with African countries in terms of diplomacy and aid. But, over the course of the last 10 years, AFRICOM has been transformed into a central command for military incursions and interventions. However, that violent role has rapidly worsened during the first year of Trump's term in office. Indeed, there is a hidden US war in Africa, and it is fought in the name of "counter-terrorism." According to a VICE News special investigation, US troops are now conducting 3,500 exercises and military engagements throughout Africa per year, an average of 10 per day. US mainstream media rarely discusses this ongoing war, thus giving the military ample space to destabilize any of the continent's 54 countries as it pleases. "Today's figure of 3,500 marks an astounding 1,900 percent increase since the command was activated less than a decade ago, and suggests a major expansion of US military activities on the African continent," VICE reported. Following the death of four US Special Forces soldiers in Niger on October 4, US Secretary of Defense, James Mattis, made an ominous declaration to a Senate committee: these numbers are likely to increase as the US is expanding its military activities in Africa. Mattis, like other defense officials in the previous two administrations, justifies the US military transgressions as part of ongoing "counter-terrorism" efforts. But such coded reference has served as a pretense for the US to intervene in, and exploit, a massive region with a great economic potential. The old colonial "Scramble for Africa" is being reinvented by global powers that fully fathom the extent of the untapped economic largesse of the continent. While China, India and Russia are each developing a unique approach to wooing Africa, the US is invested mostly in the military option, which promises to inflict untold harm and destabilize many nations. The 2012 coup in Mali, carried out by a US-trained army captain, Amadou Haya Sanogo, is only one example. In a 2013 speech, then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton cautioned against a "new colonialism in Africa (in which it is) easy to come in, take out natural resources, pay off leaders and leave." While Clinton is, of course, correct, she was disingenuously referring to China, not her own country. China's increasing influence in Africa is obvious, and Beijing's practices can be unfair. However, China's policy towards Africa is far more civil and trade-focused than the military-centered US approach. The growth in the China-Africa trade figures are, as per a UN News report in 2013, happening at a truly "breathtaking pace," as they jumped from around $10.5 billion per year in 2000 to $166 billion in 2011. Since then, it has continued at the same impressive pace. But that growth was coupled with many initiatives, entailing many billions of dollars in Chinese credit to African countries to develop badly needed infrastructure. More went to finance the 'African Talents Program', which is designed to train 30,000 African professionals in various sectors. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too. From Our Future The new year had barely started when the world got new grist for the "Trump-is-crazy" mill, one of the few American industries to experience a boom since Trump became president. Michael Wolff's profile of the current White House, "Fire and Fury," is filled with rumors and backbiting. But the book, and the president's unhinged reaction to it, provide new evidence that Trump is cognitively and emotionally unfit for office. Wolff got headlines, even in the august New York Times, for saying Trump has "less credibility" than anyone who has ever walked on earth." Hard news becomes indistinguishable from hyperbole and high school gossip. That's understandably irresistible for a lot of people. And a person's sanity becomes existentially important when they hold a nuclear button, regardless of its size. But the deeper forces of history move on, and we ignore them at our peril. While the nation obsesses about Trump, he and his fellow Republicans are radically rewiring our political and economic order. The tax bill they passed at the end of last year proves it. Years are arbitrary divisions, of course, but they're a useful reminder to note our individual and collective progress -- or lack thereof. There are always end-of-year retrospectives. But how does the Trump era look from a centuries-long perspective on our nation? 200 years ago, at the start of 1818, President James Monroe was about to claim the continent for American military expansion. General (and future president) Andrew Jackson invaded Florida during the so-called "Seminole Wars," a military incursion against indigenous people and the Spanish colonial government there. There was a growing belief in the federal government's ability to accomplish things. Close to my own childhood home, a major infrastructure project was kicked off in 1817 when construction of the Erie Canal began in Rome, N.Y. (I was born in nearby Utica, where the canal has long since been paved over.) Monroe began promoting his own brand of national unity, based on a political consensus that supposedly transcended party divisions. In some ways, it foreshadowed the "centrist" bipartisanship promoted by Democrats like Barack Obama and the Clintons. This period came to be known as the "Era of Good Feelings," a name that could hardly be applied to our own. But then, it undoubtedly didn't feel good for the slaves, women, native peoples, and poor whites who struggled to survive every day. A century later, 1917 had just ended. It was an eventful year. The country entered World War I after a German terror attack blew up a naval ship docked in Lyndhurst, N.J. Germans, not Muslims, were the country's most hated and feared immigrant group in those days, as we noted back in 2016. The Alien Enemy Act was passed, placing immigrants like Trump's father under the watchful eye of the authorities. The National Archives tell of German-language newspapers shut down or forced out of business. Bilingual churches were pressured to stop conducting services in German. German-language societies and even choral groups were disbanded as "volunteer watchdog societies reported on "German American gatherings and activities to federal authorities." In an echo of Monroe's wars of expansion, General John "Black Jack" Pershing launched another one of his "punitive expeditions" into Mexico. In 1917, racism's structural violence led to African-American uprisings -- often called "riots" -- in East St. Louis, Houston, and elsewhere. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too. Free photo Herd Mist Water Haze Fog Buffalo Bison Walking - Max Pixel960 -- 602 - 149k - jpg (Image by maxpixel.freegreatpict...) Details DMCA The voice tells them home is warm. They moo and make brute music with their hoofs. He drives them with a flowering branch before him, Smoke pluming their foreheads. Boor, bond of the herd, Tonight stretch full by the fire! I bleed by the black stream For my torn bough! Reflections: (Spoiler: This is a plug for lucidity.) This was a very poignant poem for me, and I'm glad I chanced to find it. (I was reading Patti Smith's memoir, "Just Kids" and she mentioned a collection of Joyce's poems, Pomes Penyeach [1927]. "Tilly" is the first poem in this book.) Several of the images pulled me right in, like a dream. The images, all by themselves, spoke to me. I could identify with the herdsmen on the red clay road driving his cows to the music of their plodding progress, the steam from their breathing enveloping their heads. The third and last stanza introduces an outside voice with a bitter message that casts a shadow over the first two stanzas in which "he" (the herdsman) is at one with the herd and content with his work. By contrast, the third stanza is spoken in the first person, which I assume is the voice of the poet, or even Joyce himself. The poet cannot be the romantic who is content to stay with the herd and sleep on the ground by the fire at night. For the poet, the flowering bough that the herdsman uses to guide the cows, is the "torn bough". The stream is black and he himself is bleeding, as if he identifies with the torn branch. The poet feels the pain of the world whereas his counterpart, the herdsman, is part of nature and lacks this awareness. This poem reenacts the fall, the exile from paradise, but not necessarily in the Christian sense of the fall. What it depicts for me is the fall into lucidity from which all meaningful living proceeds. In other words, the poet, we, are the bough torn from the tree of life, and with that revelation of separateness begins our long journey home again, a journey of healing on multiple levels via lucidity. (Article changed on January 11, 2018 at 18:54) Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too. This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com. Here's a cheery note for you: the last mass killing of 2017 took place moments before midnight on New Year's Eve. A 16-year-old New Jersey boy picked up a semi-automatic rifle, "lawfully acquired" by a member of his family, and killed his father, mother, sister, and a family friend. In doing so, he helped ensure that 2017 would be the deadliest year for mass killings in our modern history. (There is now, on average, slightly more than one mass killing a day in this country.) Nonetheless, guns of all sorts, including military-style assault rifles and even bump stocks like the 12 Stephen Paddock evidently used to turn his semi-automatics into functional automatics and slaughter 58 people from a hotel window in Las Vegas, are still readily available. Nowhere on Earth, not even in ravaged Yemen (which takes second place in gun ownership), is more weaponry available to more types of people. As the years go by here, such weapons are more easily and openly carried with only the most minimal of background checks (or less than that). Think about this: Americans, 4.4% of the people on this planet, own 42% of the guns and commit 31% of the mass killings. Oh, and I did promise you that there was something cheery in all this, didn't I? So here it is: the Trump administration, knowing a good thing when it sees it, is now hard at work ensuring that American weapons makers will make it a remarkably similar world. Its officials are intent, it seems, on recreating the planet in an American image. Keep in mind that U.S. arms makers like Lockheed, Raytheon, and General Dynamics already monopolize the global arms market in a way that should (but in this country regularly doesn't) stagger the imagination. U.S. weapons sales in 2016, for instance, took about 50% of global market share and many of those major weapons systems went into planetary hot spots, including Yemen (thanks to the American-backed Saudi war of annihilation there). Weaponry from other countries, year after year in this century, came in a distant second, third, or fourth. Between 2012 and 2016, in fact, the U.S. sold weaponry to at least 100 countries. So Washington is already, in significant ways, arming the world, but evidently, as far as President Trump and the weapons makers he loves are concerned, not yet enough of it. As a result, his administration is reportedly planning to open the global spigot on the very sorts of weapons now regularly used in this country for mass killings, making it far easier for American gun and ammunition manufacturers to sell to anyone interested abroad and far harder for law enforcement here to track whose hands those weapons end up in. Administration officials supposedly plan to cut down on oversight for such sales by making the Commerce Department, not the State Department, responsible for them, while streamlining small arms export controls, a process the Obama administration began. At news of this, the (non-bump) stocks of gun manufacturers surged. Think of this in Trumpian terms as the global deregulation of American firearms which could, in turn, according to critics, put such weaponry ever more easily in the hands of both criminal gangs and extremist groups. If this happens, we'll truly be in an open carry, NRA world, and Donald Trump will have fulfilled a campaign promise made at that organization's annual meeting last year. ("You came through for me and I am going to come through for you.") From nuclear weapons to handguns, "arms control" increasingly seems like a concept from another century. There are nonetheless voices still speaking up against the wholesale American weaponization of the planet and one of the most knowledgeable is that of TomDispatchregular William Hartung, director of the Arms and Security Project at the Center for International Policy. So let him fill you in on what the coming boom years are likely to look like for the Pentagon, the arms makers, and their weaponry. Tom War Pay Another Good Year for Weapons Makers Is Guaranteed By William D. Hartung As Donald Trump might put it, major weapons contractors like Boeing, Raytheon, and Lockheed Martin cashed in "bigly" in his first year in office. They raked in tens of billions of dollars in Pentagon contracts, while posting sharp stock price increases and healthy profits driven by the continuation and expansion of Washington's post-9/11 wars. But last year's bonanza is likely to be no more than a down payment on even better days to come for the military-industrial complex. President Trump moved boldly in his first budget, seeking an additional $54 billion in Pentagon funding for fiscal year 2018. That figure, by the way, equals the entire military budgets of allies like Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and Japan. Then, in a bipartisan stampede, Congress egged on Trump to go even higher, putting forward a defense authorization bill that would raise the Pentagon's budget by an astonishing $85 billion. (And don't forget that, last spring, the president and Congress had already tacked an extra $15 billion onto the 2017 Pentagon budget.) The authorization bill for 2018 is essentially just a suggestion, however -- the final figure for this year will be determined later this month, if Congress can come to an agreement on how to boost the caps on domestic and defense spending imposed by the Budget Control Act of 2011. The final number is likely to go far higher than the staggering figure Trump requested last spring. And that's only the beginning of the good news for the big weapons companies. Industry officials and Beltway defense analysts aren't expecting the real increase in Pentagon spending to come until the 2019 budget. It's a subject sure to make it into the mid-term elections. Dangling potential infusions of Pentagon funds in swing states and swing districts is a tried and true way to influence voters in tight races and so will tempt candidates in both parties. President Trump has long emphasized job creation above much else, but if he has an actual jobs program, it mainly seems to involve pumping more money into the Pentagon and increasing overseas arms sales. That such spending is one of the least effective ways to create new jobs evidently matters little. It is, after all, an easy and popular way for a president to give himself the look of stimulating economic activity, especially in an era of steep tax cuts favoring the plutocratic class and attacks on domestic spending. Trump's much-touted $1 trillion infrastructure plan may never materialize, but the Pentagon is already on course to spend $6 trillion to $7 trillion of your taxes over the next decade. As it happens though, a surprising percentage of those dollars won't even go into the military equivalent of infrastructure. Based on what we know of Pentagon expenditures in 2016, up to half of such funds are likely to go directly into the coffers of defense contractors rather than to the troops or to basic military tasks like training and maintenance. While the full impact of Trump's proposed Pentagon spending increases won't be felt until later this year and in 2019, he did make a significant impact last year in his role as arms-dealer-in-chief. Early estimates for 2017 suggest that arms sales approvals in the first year of his administration exceeded the Obama administration's record in its last year in office -- no mean feat given that President Obama set a record for overseas arms deals during his eight-year tenure. You undoubtedly won't be surprised to learn that President Trump greatly exaggerated the size of his administration's arms deals. Typically enough, he touted "$110 billion" in proposed sales to Saudi Arabia, a figure that included deals already struck under Obama and highly speculative offers that may never come to fruition. While visiting Japan in November, he similarly took credit for sales of the staggeringly expensive, highly overrated F-35 combat aircraft, a deal that was actually concluded in 2012. To add insult to injury, those F-35s that the U.S. is selling Japan will be assembled there, not in the good old U.S.A. (So much for the jobs benefits of global weapons trading.) Nonetheless, when you peel away the layers of Trumpian bombast and exaggeration, his administration still posted one of the highest arms sales figures of the last decade and there's clearly much more to come. In all of this, the president may not have done major favors for America's workers, but he's been a genuine godsend for the country's arms manufacturers. After all, such firms extract significantly greater profits on foreign deals than on sales to the Pentagon. When selling to other countries, they normally charge higher prices for weapons systems, while including costly follow-on agreements for maintenance, training, and things like additional bombs, missiles, or ammunition that can continue for decades. In fact, Trump's biggest challenge in accelerating U.S. arms exports may not be foreign competition, but the fact that the Obama administration made so many high-value arms deals. Some countries are still busy trying to integrate the weapons systems or other merchandise they've already purchased and may not be ready to conclude new arms agreements. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too. From Our Future Remember all those pictures of smiling Iraqi citizens proudly holding up their blue, ink-stained fingers when they voted for the first time after the fall of Saddam Hussein? The Republicans -- and far too many Democrats -- who had supported the U.S. invasion of Iraq hoped those vivid images would appeal to the democracy-loving instincts of the American people. Americans do love democracy, at least in principle, although they've long abandoned their support for that misguided war. So how is it that the party that distributed those photos of blue fingers has also been able to engage in a decades-long assault on democracy at home, without paying a political price? And why isn't the party at the losing end of those machinations doing more about it? The latest evidence of the Republican Party's anti-democratic activities comes from a federal court ruling, issued Tuesday, which found that North Carolina Republicans deliberately drew congressional district boundaries in order to benefit their own party. Judges usually do infer undemocratic motives by the way districts are drawn. But North Carolina Republicans made it easy for the judges in this case statements like this one, from state representative David Lewis, who was responsible for redistricting. "I think electing Republicans is better than electing Democrats," said Lewis. "So I drew this map to help foster what I think is better for the country." Well, okay then. The Supreme Court already ruled against North Carolina Republicans in 2017, finding that they had discriminated against black voters in drawing up congressional districts. That limited the electoral participation of a predominantly Democratic voting bloc. Earlier that year, a federal district court found that Republicans had similarly discriminated against black and Latino voters. This kind of dirty politics doesn't happen by accident. David Daley has written a detailed accoun t of "REDMAP," the GOP plan to regain political power by redrawing district lines in their own favor. Daley's book is entitled "Ratf*cked," and we interviewed him about it here. An analysis by New York University's Brennan Center for Justice found that, nationwide, partisan gerrymandering has given Republicans 16-17 additional congressional seats. As another court decision reminds us, this sort of thing is nothing new for Republicans. This week another judge lifted a consent decree against the Republican National Committee that had been in place since 1982. That's when the RNC was barred from their practice of sending intimidating mailers to African-American voters and hiring armed, off-duty law enforcement officers to stand watch at polling places in minority neighborhoods. A related tactic, known as "voter caging," consists of sending mass mailings to neighborhoods that typically vote against your party; minority neighborhoods are the typical target. When mailers are returned, voters are then struck from the rolls. By targeting certain neighborhoods rather than others, voter caging is used for partisan purposes. Worse, as the Brennan Center explains, this tactic is often targeted against registered members of a political party. As the Brennan Center notes, caging is a "notoriously unreliable" technique for legitimately purging ineligible voters. It's extremely effective, however, in helping one party gain an unfair advantage over another. That was also true of an Ohio Republican scheme, led by Secretary of State Jon Husted, which gamed election law to purge legally-registered voters for infrequent voting. A Reuters investigation found, unsurprisingly, that Ohio Republicans benefited from Husted's actions. Two million voters were purged from Ohio's rolls between 2011 and 2016, according to Ari Berman of The Nation, with 1.2 million of them purged for infrequent voting. But, as bad as things are for Democrats today, they could get much worse very quickly. If the Supreme Court rules in Ohio's favor, caging and its variants could become common practice in the two-thirds of state governments controlled by Republicans. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Progressive Content Not Found Sometimes, authors delete their progressive content after publishing. To see if the progressive content was renamed or re-published, please click here. Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too. Why did Obama say this? And why do Democratic Party leaders like Schumer, Pelosi and "Saint Bernie" Sanders, as well as "flavors of the month" like Doug Jones, keep talking about how they're willing to work with Trump? Because they are on the same team. They're telling the truth about this. It's one of the rare cases when they do tell the truth. So people need to face what this means--and its implications for society. First, what team are they talking about? It's "Team America." It's the team made up of those ruling and representing America's capitalist-imperialist system. Let's not forget that "Team America" founded itself on the genocide of Native peoples and the enslavement of millions of Black people. Team America to this day has white supremacy, male supremacy, and American global supremacy knitted into its very core--it is a capitalist-imperialist system that cannot do without any of that. And what kind of "work" is it that they're talking about doing together? Making sure their "team" and its murderous, oppressive system "succeeds in today's world." The top Democrats do have sharp differences with Trump and the Republicans--but they're not over how to best serve the interests of humanity; they're over how to best run their empire and maintain the stability and coherence of their oppressive society at home. That means that no matter how sharply the Democrats disagree with this or that Trump policy, they are doing so from within that framework. So one of their core goals is keeping people loyal to the "team"--their system and working through its social and political channels. No moral dilemma whatsoever #trump #obama #muslimban (Image by leighblackall) Details DMCA This is why the only thing you can "rely" on these Democrats for is to keep the struggle within the narrowest possible bounds and to use whatever credibility you lend them to suppress those people who DO take this fascist threat seriously--people who do NOT feel as if they are on the "same team" as people trying to restore open white supremacy, people directly threatening nuclear destruction, people unapologetically bragging about sexual molestation and assault. Don't believe it? Then why, last April did the Democrats cheer when Trump launched 59 cruise missiles against Syria? Senator Chuck Schumer called it "the right thing to do." The "militant" Senator Elizabeth Warren agreed: the "Syrian regime must be held accountable." The "radical" Bernie Sanders mildly criticized the war criminal Trump for not consulting Congress first. This normalizes U.S. aggression around the world, normalizes Trump's fascism, and trains people not only to passively tolerate U.S. crimes around the world but to root for the imperialist "team" no matter who is in charge. Why did leading Democrat Schumer agree with Trump on moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem (a U.S. rubber stamp of approval for Israel's ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people), but also criticized his "indecisiveness" Trump didn't say when the U.S. embassy would move, and he wouldn't recognize Israel's total control over all of Jerusalem (East Jerusalem remains home to over 400,000 Palestinians, nearly half the population of the entire city, and has been seen as a potential Palestinian capital in any "two-state" solution.) Here again, Schumer normalizes Trump, and casts those who oppose Israel's genocide as beyond the pale. For nearly three years Saudi Arabia has been waging a reactionary and barbaric war in neighboring Yemen. With U.S. bombs and military support Saudi Arabia has targeted broad sections of the Yemeni people, killing thousands and pushing millions into the death-grip of famine and cholera. Some Democrats have raised concerns that Saudi Arabia's actions could weaken it and U.S. power in the region. But they have not called for breaking ties with and ending military aid to the bloodthirsty, fundamentalist Saudi monarchy or condemned it for committing war crimes. This is shamefully imbuing people with the notion that the only lives they should care anything about are American, and that they should stay silent in the face of mass genocide and towering crimes against humanity. Trump repeatedly threatens to "destroy" North Korea with nuclear "fire and fury" and many experts fear a U.S. war on North Korea is a real and looming possibility. This is an enormous, cataclysmic danger which will take determined mass protest and resistance by millions to stop. Yet the Democrats are fighting for people to confine their actions to calling Congress, cheering a few Democratic speeches or resolutions, and waiting until the 2018 elections (which won't change anything fundamental). What about racism and white supremacy? The Democrats talk of inclusivity and equal right, but in Alabama, Doug Jones didn't call out Roy Moore's pro-slavery ravings. He mobilized Black voters on the down-low, while reaching out to Trump's fascist base. Squarely confronting and challenging the racism and white supremacy at the core of Trump's fascism has the potential to mobilize millions to become part of driving this regime from power. But the Democrats refuse to do so because they understand white supremacy is woven deeply into the fabric of America and unleashing millions to take it on could threaten or call into question their whole system. #MeToo and women's oppression? The Democrat's quickly ran Al Franken out of the Senate after he was accused of harassing several women. Some Democrats have issued statements against Trump for his sexual predation, but the Democrats have refused to call out people like theocrat Roy Moore and the whole misogynist, Christian fascist agenda at the core of the Trump/Pence regime which aims to strip women of their most basic rights and reassert open patriarchy with a vengeance--much less mobilize the millions awakened by the #MeToo movement to take on this whole regime. Just compare how the Democrats still tolerate and only very mildly and intermittently bring up Trump's admitted molestation of women to the kind of all-out struggle waged by the Republicans over Bill Clinton's crap. Trump's ugly fascist program has been clear from the day his campaign began and has become uglier, and more apparent and dangerous since. Yet the Democrats continue to counsel patience and working through the same channels that brought Trump to power in the first place--even muzzling talk, repeat talk, of things like impeachment as a "distraction" from the 2018 elections. Given all this, how, in good conscience, can you rely on the Democrats to STOP this monster before he drags down the entire globe in flames? So the real question is, which team do you want to be on? It depends on what you're trying to do. If you want to advance and maintain capitalism-imperialism, making some criticisms of Trump where you think he is harming imperialist interests but you don't want to call out or take on fascism per se, then clearly--the Democratic Party is the thing for you. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too. Trump's Cabinet is Full of Climate Change Deniers Donald Trump's cabinet is filled with climate change deniers tied to the oil industry. Goodbye, dear planet. Subscribe to Fusion: youtube.com/c/this isfusion?sub_confirmation=1... (Image by YouTube, Channel: Fusion) Details DMCA A collage of Climate change deniers in the Trump administratio As I read articles on climate change from the likes of Dahr Jamail, Naomi Klein and the latest being Paul Street's, "Climate Denial Will Kill Us" [1] , my thinking often digresses to who are these people. With so much irrefutable evidence provided by esteemed climate scientists how is it possible for people to remain in climate denial? Maybe we should ask the "Donald", himself a chief climate change denier. What follows here is simply one man's hypothesis on climate change deniers: Firstly they're supremely anti-intellectual, distrusting scientific evidence, even ridiculing it. Many reject evolution, are "creationists" and believe the earth is 10,000 years old. They even have a creation museum in eastern Kentucky showing man walking with dinosaurs. Further many/most are deeply religious fundamentalist Christians who seem to take the bible-New Testament- literally and in particular the Book of Revelation, the end days, Armageddon, Tribulation, Apocalypse, false prophet, anti-Christ, Satan, the second coming of Christ et al. So for them why worry about climate change when the 2nd coming of Christ is in their future and they'll be saved. In the early 1970's I read a book titled, "The Late Great Planet Earth", by Hal Lindsey to get some idea of what those fundamentalist Christians were apparently believing what was in our future. As I remember it in particular just before some fiery apocalypse all true believing Christians will miraculously be transported above it all saving them while all those left on Earth will perish. I could not help thinking at the time there were some 6 billion people. Though most people in the world were Christians say 25%, the majority 75% were non Christians. I thought what sort of God would condemn billions of people to a fiery end and save only his flock? When one thinks about it "saving" only true believing Christians was condemning, condescending, elitist, smug and downright hateful toward billions of people who weren't Christians. This coming from those god fearing, true believing Christians. Hardly something they would normally see themselves as being. Today there's some 9 billion people, over a billion Muslims, Hindu's, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jews, who also believe in God but certainly aren't Christians. Occasionally I'll hear or read about an "end days" scenario about to befall us. Apparently the founding of the State of Israel in 1948 was a harbinger of the coming "end days". I suppose some believe Obama was the false prophet, the anti-Christ, maybe Satan himself. How about "Dubya" Bush's endless war on terror or all of America's endless wars. Are they harbingers of the "end days"? Supposedly "Dubya" was a true believer himself as is current Vice President Mike Pence. I read somewhere America is the most church going people of all democratic countries in the West. Most Europeans are not church goers. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Scope Creates Drug Monographs for a Leading Health Portal Chennai, India, January 08, 2018: Scope e-Knowledge Center (Scope), a leading provider of specialized knowledge services for publishers and information providers, is pleased to announce the successful delivery of 135 drug monographs for one of the worlds leading health information portals.Drug monographs were developed for drugs approved by the European Medicine Agency (EMA), as well as drugs not approved by the EMA but approved in selected countries outside the United States. The monographs allow users to easily evaluate the safety, tolerability and efficacy of approved drugs.The complex and specialized project required a very refined level of understanding of clinicalpharmacology. Scope leveraged its in-house team of medical SMEsphysicians and pharmacologists who conducted extensive research and analysis of the drugs and created monographs that would integrate with already existing monographs for the drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Therefore, the content required standardization to a particular format.To aid in standardization, Scopes process experts built a workflow that automated components of the editorial and formatting process. For this project and those with similar requirements, Scope leverages cutting-edge technology for scale, and expertise of in-house SMEs, for accuracy. This unique hybrid approach helped Scopes team evaluate an extensive volume of relevant drug information efficiently and accurately.Dr. Sheeba Chandru, Head of the Medical Content Division at Scope said, EMA monographs are based on brand, which means a single generic US monograph may be linked to multiple brand alternatives in the European Union. This called for a very refined level of understanding of clinical pharmacology. Our inhouse SMEs were able to successfully meet this challenge. She continued, Apart from this, there was the challenge to deliver content in a standardized format. This would have normally been time-consuming if not for an automated workflow built by our technology team. This automated workflow helped quickly populate the fields in the monograph.Tram Venkataraman (Tram), President, Scope e-Knowledge Center said, "At Scope, we are focused on enabling publishers, information product and enterprise content managers get the maximum ROI from existing content. We are thrilled that our unique hybrid, technology + SME delivery methodology was instrumental in making this project a success. The fact that the client partnered with us in developing guidelines for creating monographs for drugs was the icing on the cake.For more information, please contact:Richard KobelVice President,Business Development,USAScope e-Knowledge Center+1 631 375 1555Narendra Venkatramani (Venky)Senior Vice President -Sales & MarketingUS, UK & EuropeScope e-Knowledge Center+1 917 525 0944About Scope e-Knowledge CenterScope e-Knowledge Center, a Quatrro Global Services company is an award-winning provider of outsourced, cost effective Content Enhancement Services, Data Management Services, Business Research Services and Patent Analytics for information providers around the world. With more than 1,000 advanced degree subject matter experts in science, technology, medicine, business, legal, social sciences and humanities disciplines, Scope combines advanced domain expertise with proprietary inhouse platforms and technology solutions to deliver accurate, high quality deliverables in a scalable, customizable model in accordance with client specifications. Scope also publishes the daily online newsletter Knowledgespeak, a comprehensive news service focusing on the STM information industry.Scope eKnowledge CenterII Floor, Temple Towers,Nandanam, 672 Anna Salai,Chennai - 600 035, IndiaTel: 91 44 24314201-03Fax: 91 44 24314206 P2P Investment Loan Platform Enters Blockchain Sector with ICO Launch FAST INVEST CEO - Simona Vaitkune Fast Invest is excited to announce the launch of its native cryptocurrency token (FIT) during their upcoming ICO on December 4th. The FinTech company has been operating since 2015 in the investment loan space, connecting funders with loan-seekers in a peer-to-peer exchange. With more than 8,500 daily users from 36 countries, Fast Invest is expanding into the largely unoccupied cryptocurrency lending sector.Blockchain-based cryptocurrencies have been rapidly in 2017, racking up a seventeen times (at the time of this press release) increase in market capitalization since the beginning of 2017. As these financial technologies mature new opportunities arise, especially for unbanked and underbanked populations. This is because digital currencies allow for the exchange of value without the need for central banks or other intermediaries. Fast Invest aims to leverage these developments to democratize investment by allowing people to invest as little as one dollar on their loan platform. This enables users to band together to crowdfund a loan that gets paid back with interest, which can then generate returns for the loan suppliers.In what may be a first for the industry, Fast Invest will allow users to use their bitcoin or ethereum as collateral for loans in traditional currencies. Due to the nature of smart contracts, loans like this can be executed with very little human input and all parties can be sure that the terms of the loan will be carried out. This is because smart contracts utilize code and mathematics to enforce agreements without the need for human intervention.By expanding to cryptocurrency-based investment instruments the company aims to reduce friction in the world of P2P investment and loan services. These offerings include a cryptocurrency exchange, digital wallet for holding tokens, cryptocurrency investment services, decentralized lending, and a payment card that can be funded by cryptocurrencies but used like a credit card.CEO Simona Vaitkune had this to say:From the very beginning our mission is to help people generate secure and stable passive income stream and achieve their financial freedom. I am delighted that we are expanding our platform to a new infrastructure of the blockchain. This will enable our customers use both fiat and crypto currencies for daily banking operations. The future of digital banking is almost here and we are ready to meet it.FAST INVEST is the successfully operating business. Since 2015 team of dedicated specialist are developing powerful investment platform that is based on investing in consumer loans across Europe and globally. The company is expanding and building new infrastructure on the blockchain to offer new digital banking products. Fast Invest will merge at and cryptocurrencies and enable users to use both for their daily banking operations.-FAST INVEST-Kao Hockham Building, Edinburgh Way, Harlow, Essex CM20 2NQ, United Kingdom-Dovile Zili dovile@fastinvest.com United States Web Offset Printing Machines Market Report 2018 Industry Research Analysis: United States Web Offset Printing Machines Market Report 2018 http://www.qyresearchglobal.com/goods-1304236.html or http://www.qyresearcheurope.com/ The United States Web Offset Printing Machines Market Report 2018 is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Web Offset Printing Machines industry.Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Web Offset Printing Machines Industry analysis is provided for the international market including development history, competitive landscape analysis, and major regions development status.Secondly, development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures. This report also states import/export, supply and consumption figures as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin by regions (United States, EU, China and Japan), and other regions can be added.Then, the report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is also carried out. Whats more, the Web Offset Printing Machines industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered.In a word, the report provides major statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.Geographically, this report splits the United States market into seven regions: The West, Southwest, The Middle Atlantic, New England, The South and The Midwest.with sales (volume), revenue (value), market share and growth rate of Web Offset Printing Machines in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast).United States Web Offset Printing Machines market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Web Offset Printing Machines sales volume, price, revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingPrakash GroupThe Printers House (tph)Naph GraphicsTensor InternationalSanden MachineSahil GraphicM/S SUD & WAREN (P) LTDNBG Printographic Machinery Co. Pvt. LtdGoss International.DGMThalloBlue Print LineEdelmann Printing MachinesMANUGRAPH INDIA LTDOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoBy Speed Options16,000 CPH30,000 CPH36,000 CPHOthersBy product typeStack Unit Web Offset Printing Machines3 Colour Satellite Web Offset Printing Machines2Hi Tower Web Offset Printing Machines3Hi Tower Web Offset Printing Machines4Hi Tower Web Offset Printing MachinesMono Unit Web Offset Printing MachinesOn 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, includingCommercialNewspaperPackagingOthersBrowse full report sample:Email to tinaning@qyresearch.com.Table of contents:Chapter 1 - Web Offset Printing Machines OverviewChapter 2 - United States Web Offset Printing Machines Market Competition by Players/SuppliersChapter 3 - United States Web Offset Printing Machines Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) by Region (2013-2018)Chapter 4 - United States Web Offset Printing Machines Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) by Type (Product Category) (2013-2018)Chapter 5 - United States Web Offset Printing Machines Sales (Volume) by Application (2013-2018)Chapter 6 - United States Web Offset Printing Machines Players/Suppliers Profiles and Sales DataChapter 7 - Web Offset Printing Machines Manufacturing Cost AnalysisChapter 8 - Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersChapter 9 - Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersChapter 10 - Market Effect Factors AnalysisChapter 11- United States Web Offset Printing Machines Market Size (Value and Volume) Forecast (2018-2025)Chapter 12 - Research Findings and ConclusionChapter 13 - AppendixRelated Reports:Europe Web Offset Printing Machines Market Report 2018China Web Offset Printing Machines Market Report 2018India Web Offset Printing Machines Market Report 2018Korea Web Offset Printing Machines Market Report 2018Global Web Offset Printing Machines Market Report 2018Japan Web Offset Printing Machines Market Report 2018Contact Details:Company Name: QYResearch CO.,LIMITED | focus on Market Survey and ResearchTina| Sales ManagersTel: 0086-20-22093278(CN)Email: sales@qyresearcheurope.com or tinaning@qyresearch.comWeb:QYResearch established in 2007, focus on custom research, management consulting, IPO consulting, industry chain research, data base cand seminar services. The company owned a large basic data base (such as National Bureau of statistics database, Customs import and export database, Industry Association Database etc), experts resources (included energy automotive chemical medical ICT consumer goods etc industries experts who own more than 10 years experiences on marketing or R&D), professional survey team (the team member with more than 3 years market survey experience and more than 2 years depth expert interview experience),Excellent data analysis team (SPSS statistics and PPT graphics process team); QYResearch has always pursuit product quality, adhere to the quality is the soul of business.Room 2901 VILI International Building No.167 Linhe West Road Global Vitamin B12 Market 2018-2023 Sanofi, Hebei Yufeng, Ningxia Kingvit Vitamin B12 Market http://qymarketsresearch.com/report/global-vitamin-b12-market-2018-size-growth-rate-140015/#request-sample http://qymarketsresearch.com/report/global-vitamin-b12-market-2018-size-growth-rate-140015/ http://qymarketsresearch.com/ Vitamin B12 Market Research 2018A market study "Global Vitamin B12 Market" examines the performance of the Vitamin B12 market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Vitamin B12 market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Vitamin B12 market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Vitamin B12 Market 2018 report includes Vitamin B12 market Revenue, market Share, Vitamin B12 industry volume, market Trends, Vitamin B12 Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Vitamin B12 Price during the Forecast period from 2018 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Vitamin B12 Market 2018 : Sanofi Hebei Yufeng Group Hebei Huarong Pharmaceutical Ningxia Kingvit Pharmaceutical NCPC VICTORVitamin B12 Market : By Application0.980.020.01Vitamin B12 Market : By TypeFood IndustryFeed IndustryFirstly, the report covers the top Vitamin B12 manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Vitamin B12 report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Vitamin B12 industry, Vitamin B12 industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Vitamin B12 Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Vitamin B12 research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Vitamin B12 market revenue worldwide.Finally, Vitamin B12 market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:"QY Markets Research" is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USAContact: +1-214-661-1669Web: Water Heater 2018 Global Industry Key Players -A.O. Smith Corporation, Rheem Manufacturing Company, Bradford White Corporation Market Analysis And Forecast To 2025 Global Water Heater Market https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/2742032-global-water-heater-market-size-estimates-and-forecasts-by-energy https://www.wiseguyreports.com/enquiry/2742032-global-water-heater-market-size-estimates-and-forecasts-by-energy Global Water Heater MarketGlobal water heater market valued approximately USD 34.7 billion in 2016 is expected to grow by CAGR 5.3% over the forecast period 2017-2025. Rising real estate development along with the increasing demand from commercial places are the major driving factors which are anticipated to fuel the market growth. Moreover, increasing demand for tankless water heaters in point of use applications is also likely to fuel the market growth over the forecast period.Request a Sample Report @Water heaters consume significant amount of electricity and hence manufacturers try to develop water heaters with higher efficiency. One of the newest development is hybrid heating technology, which can save up to 40% of electricity consumption. The global water heater market report is segmented upon energy source, storage type, end use and regions. Below mentioned is the brief description of each segment:Energy Source: Electric GasStorage Type: Tank Tankless / InstantaneousEnd-Use Commercial ResidentialRegions: North Americao U.S.o Canada Europeo UKo Germanyo France Asia Pacifico Chinao Indiao Japan Latin Americao Brazilo Mexico Rest of the WorldIn 2016, gas heaters accounted more than 53% of the total market share. These are energy efficient equipment with a higher level of safety in operation owing to which they have been significantly popular in the past few years. However, over the forecast period, electric heaters are likely to grow with the highest growth. This growth is attributed to the increasing technological development pertaining to heating elements coupled with the declining prices of electric water heaters.In 2016, the industry is dominated by Asia Pacific followed by Europe and North America. This enormous growth in the Asian region is largely attributed to increasing population with higher disposable income coupled with growing real estate sector. Additionally, change in customer preference towards the superior quality of life is also anticipated to fuel the demand over the forecast period.Some of the key players involved in the water heater industry are; A.O. Smith Corporation, Rheem Manufacturing Company, and Bradford White Corporation. These key players have a strong foothold in the industry due to their wide product offerings and geographical presence. The above-mentioned companies accounted more than 50% of the total market share in 2016. The industry is also experiencing new entrants such as Kenmore and Eemax which are exclusively designing smart tankless water heaters. Further, merger and acquisition is the key strategy adopted by key players, this has enabled them to gain competitive advantages and their hands on recent technological developments. Furthermore, it also helps to increase the sales presence in different regions and countries. For instance, A.O. Smith Corporation has acquired Ohio-based William R. Hague, Inc. this acquisition has helped A.O. Smith to get their access to water softening technology.Chapter 1. Research Methodology1.1. Research Process1.1.1. Data Mining1.1.2. Analysis1.1.3. Market Estimation1.1.4. Validation1.1.5. Publishing1.2. Research AssumptionChapter 2. Global Water Heater Market Definition & Scope2.1. Objective of The Study2.2. Market Definition2.3. Scope of The Study2.4. Years Considered for The Study2.5. Currency Conversion Rates2.6. Report LimitationChapter 3. Executive Summary3.1. Key Trends3.2. Global & Segmental Market Estimates & Forecasts, 2015-2025 (USD Billion/Million, Million Units)Chapter 4. Global Water Heater Industry Dynamics4.1. Growth Prospects4.1.1. Drivers4.1.2. Restraints4.1.3. Opportunities4.2. Industry Analysis4.2.1. Porters 5 Force Model4.2.2. PEST Analysis4.2.3. Value Chain Analysis4.3. Analyst Recommendation & ConclusionChapter 5. Global Water Heater Market by Energy Source5.1. Market Snapshot5.2. Water Heater Market, Sub Segment Analysis5.2.1. Gas5.2.1.1. Market estimates & forecasts, 2015-2025 (USD Billion/Million, Million Units)5.2.1.2. Regional breakdown estimates & forecasts, 2015-2025 (USD Billion/Million, Million Units)5.2.2. Electric5.2.2.1. Market estimates & forecasts, 2015-2025 (USD Billion/Million, Million Units)5.2.2.2. Regional breakdown estimates & forecasts, 2015-2025 (USD Billion/Million, Million Units)Continued..To enquire about this report visit @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. 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We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USAWeb:Email: sales@qymarketsresearch Jan 11, 2018: Combination Microwave Ovens Market Size 2023 Galanz, Midea, Panasonic, SHARP Combination Microwave Ovens Market http://bit.ly/2CXe7Cs http://qymarketsresearch.com/report/global-combination-microwave-ovens-market-2018-siz-138799/ http://qymarketsresearch.com/ Combination Microwave Ovens Market Research 2018A market study Global Combination Microwave Ovens Market examines the performance of the Combination Microwave Ovens market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Combination Microwave Ovens market state and the competitive landscape globally. 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We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USAWeb:Email: sales@qymarketsresearch Jan 11, 2018: Commercial Aerospace 3D Printing Market Size 2023 Arcam, Arconic, EOS Commercial Aerospace 3D Printing Market http://bit.ly/2CPGv5G http://qymarketsresearch.com/report/global-commercial-aerospace-3d-printing-market-201-138803/ http://qymarketsresearch.com/ Commercial Aerospace 3D Printing Market Research 2018A market study Global Commercial Aerospace 3D Printing Market examines the performance of the Commercial Aerospace 3D Printing market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Commercial Aerospace 3D Printing market state and the competitive landscape globally. 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We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USAWeb:Email: sales@qymarketsresearch Jan 11, 2018: Complete Blood Count (CBC) Market Share 2023 Abbott, BioMrieux, Cepheid Complete Blood Count (CBC) Market http://bit.ly/2EsW1Ve http://qymarketsresearch.com/report/global-complete-blood-count-cbc-market-2018-size-138819/ http://qymarketsresearch.com/ Complete Blood Count (CBC) Market Research 2018A market study Global Complete Blood Count (CBC) Market examines the performance of the Complete Blood Count (CBC) market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Complete Blood Count (CBC) market state and the competitive landscape globally. 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We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USAWeb:Email: sales@qymarketsresearch Rubber Anti-Tack Agents Market - Influential Factors & Forecast 2017 - 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=725 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=725 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=D&rep_id=725 Rubber Anti-Tack Agents Market:OverviewThe global rubber anti-tack agents market share is moderately consolidated. Players in the market are experiencing intense competition in the recent past on account of the extensive presence of major fatty acids production facilities. This is especially true for North America and Asia Pacific where many key production facilities for fatty acid esters are present. Players in the market have entered into partnerships and collaborations with suppliers of raw materials present in Asia Pacific, with an aim to procure the raw materials at low cost. This strategy is adopted by many producers. In addition to this, players have also invested in production facilities in various regions so as to cater to the demands of the end user industries in Asia Pacific. Another strategy which is adopted by industry players operating in the global rubber anti-tack agents market is the development of new products by taking advantage of technological advancements. This is helping players to increase their profitability.Request Sample Copy of the Report @The robust growth in the automotive industry and increasing modifications in rubber processing are two major drivers, which will boost the growth of the global rubber anti-tack agents market in the period from 2017 to 2025. The rubber anti-tack agents market in Asia Pacific is expected to lead in the coming years. The region, more specifically Indonesia, China, India, and Malaysia is expected to account for over half of the total volume. The flourishing automotive industry, fueled by the increasing disposable income and growing population is the main factor boosting the Asia Pacific rubber anti-tack agents market.Global Rubber Anti-Tack Agents Market: Brief DescriptionThe self-adhesive characteristic of rubber hinders several purposes that it is used for, and therefore the need for anti-tack agents that can be applied on products in a form of thin layer and achieve the desired durable product. As rubber remains as an essential material for several sectors such as packaging and automobile, the demand in the global rubber anti-tack agents market is expected to remain constantly progressive with a healthy CAGR during the forecast period of 2017 to 2025.Request TOC of the Report @This report on the global market for rubber anti-tack agents is a comprehensive analysis of all the crucial factors that are expected to influence the market over the course of next few years. Some of the key trends of the market have also been highlighted and explored in order to adjudge their near and far implications. Another key feature of the report is the company profile section, wherein several prominent vendors have been analyzed for their market share, geographical outreach, product portfolio, and latest strategic developments. The global rubber anti-tack agents market can be segmented on the basis of product, into fatty acid esters, fatty acid amides, stearates, soaps, silicone polymers, and others. Geographically, the report studies the opportunities available in the regional markets of Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, and Rest of the World.Global Rubber Anti-Tack Agents Market: Influential FactorsWith growing population across the globe, and increasing disposable income among the urban community, the demand for automobile is at an all-time peak and consequently, the demand for rubber anti-tack agents is escalating, which is used in tire manufacturing. Styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) is now increasingly used in the tire industry for its property to offer abrasion resistance. Additionally, the modifications in rubber processing has helped the players improve efficiency of the production to meet the incremented demand. In the medical and industrial sector, anti-tack agents are also used to remove the cohesive property of rubber products. Nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) is now increasingly used to manufacture gloves that prevent transmission of viruses. Moreover, stearic acid is an important feedstock stearate production, which is commonly present in vegetable and animal oils and fats. Certain stearates such as lead and zinc, which are primarily used in PVC processing, are put under severe environmental regulations and hence the demand is decreasing. This factor is expected to hinder the growth rate during the forecast period.Get Discount @Global Rubber Anti-Tack Agents Market: Regional OutlookNorth America serves the maximum demand for anti-tack agents, primarily driven by the country-wide market of the U.S, owing to factors such as growing awareness pertaining to hygiene by restricting bacteria and virus transmission in the healthcare sector. Growing aging population in the country is also extending the demand for nitrile gloves. Asia Pacific, which resides vast populations, is anticipated to extend the demand at the most robust rate among all regions, gaining from countries such as India, China, and Malaysia wherein automotive industry is thriving. Malaysia is the most prominent rubber manufacturers globally.Companies mentioned in this research reportBaerlocher, Schill + Seilacher, Evonik, H.L. Blachford, and the Hallstar Company are some of the key companies who hold significant share of the market while Croda International, Lion Specialty Chemicals, King Industries, Peter Greven GmbH, FACI SPA, SASCO Chemical Group, Stephenson Alkon Solutions, and McLube are some of the other notable players. The nature of competition is moderately concentrated and several partnerships and collaborations are underway, or expected during the forecast period, which will somewhat change the market scenario.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 Stationary Catalytic Systems Market - Players Operating Systems & Forecast 2017 - 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=731 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=731 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=D&rep_id=731 Stationary Catalytic Systems Market: SnapshotThe players operating in the global stationary catalytic systems market are anticipated to leverage on the heightened demand for steel. Moreover, players will also bank on the increased purchasing power of the construction and automotive industries. In the forecast period from 2017 to 2025, metal, petrochemicals, and chemical applications are predicted to gain great focus. This is especially true for emerging economies as these countries are witnessing a surge in the construction and infrastructure activities over the past few years, and shall continue to do so. The growing demand for oxidation catalysts for annihilating carbon emissions, volatile organic compounds, and formaldehyde from gas turbine power generators is expected to push the growth of the global stationary catalytic systems market during the forecast period.The rise in industrialization is another major reason behind the growth of this market. In addition to this, the high requirement for power and the rapid increase in population will also drive the growth prospects of the global stationary catalytic systems market in the years to come. Power is in high demand from the commercial, residential, as well as the industrial sector and is expected to accelerate the growth of the stationary catalytic systems market.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Stationary catalytic systems find applications in manufacturing, refining, cement, and food sectors, among others. The growth in the food, cement, or manufacturing industry is therefore, directly aiding the global stationary catalytic systems market. Growing infrastructure developments in emerging economies will propel the petrochemicals and chemicals sector in the coming years.Global Stationary Catalytic Systems Market: Inclusive InsightsStationary catalytic systems help in reducing the harmful emissions such as hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides from power-plants as well as petro-chemical and other manufacturing industries. Besides destroying carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons with oxidation catalysts, these stationary catalytic systems can also capture fine particulate matter and are are built to withstand high operating temperatures or thermal shock. With the growing environmental concerns across the world, global stationary systems market is projected for a healthy growth rate during the forecast period of 2017 to 2025.This report on global market for stationary systems market is a comprehensive analysis of all the factors that are expected to impact the growth rate over the course of next few years, and presents estimations of the future scenario. Considering stringent guidelines set by several governments as a primary factor of this market, the report highlights some of the important regulations in place in various countries. One of the key feature of this report is the section on company profiles wherein some of the key players in this market have been analyzed for their market share, regional outreach, product portfolio, and recent strategic developments. The global stationary catalytic systems market can be segmented on the basis of technology into selective catalytic reduction and catalytic oxidation, and on the basis of application into power plants, chemical and petrochemicals, cement, and metal.Request TOC of the Report @Global Stationary Catalytic Systems Market: Drivers, Restraints, and OpportunitiesRegulations pertaining to GHG emission, which are getting stricter every passing year due to growing environmental concerns, is the primary driver for the market. For instance, in the U.S., regulations such as National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) is in place for industries to follow in order to reduce industrial pollutant emissions. Coal fired boiler replacement program in China is another recent development that will positively reflect on global stationary catalytic systems market. China, a country with vast population and landscapes, retrofitted 400,000 MW of existing coal-fired boilers with selective catalytic reduction in 2012. With an average life of 3 to 5 years, the country-wide market of china is expected to generate fresh demand for stationary catalytic systems during the forecast period. Some of the other factors complementing the growth rate are expanding adoption of oxidation catalysts to control pollutant emission from gas turbine power generators, varied application of catalytic incineration process at refining, chemical, metal, and food and beverage industry in Asia Pacific, escalating demand for electricity with growing population, and rapid industrialization.The report detects that selective catalytic reduction segment has the maximum demand in terms of product segment while application-wise, power plant stationary catalytic systems dominate owing to electricity demand from the commercial, industrial, and residential sector.Get Discount @Global Stationary Catalytic Systems Market: Regional OverviewCountry-wide markets of China and India make Asia Pacific the most lucrative region, and with growing number of power plants, the region is anticipated to remain highly profitable through-out the forecast period. Government of India has set aside a budget of US$44 bn for the development of 35,000 km road across the country, which will augment the demand for stationary catalytic systems. France generates maximum demand from Europe market while Canada dominates North America market. Canadian government has pledged an investment of US$11.9 bn for the improvements of social infrastructure that is in sync with environment.Companies mentioned in the reportDCL International Inc., Johnson Matthey, BASF, CORMETECH, Amec Foster Wheeler, Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, MECA, APC technologies, Ducon Technologies, Air Clean LLC, and Hamon Corporation are some of the prominent names in global stationary catalytic systems 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 Polymer Filler Market: Growing Demand From Automotive and Industrial Applications MarketsandMarkets https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=35777979 https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalyst.asp?id=35777979 The global polymer filler market size is estimated to reach USD 53.10 Billion by 2020 at a CAGR of 3.3% between 2015 and 2020. The report segments the market by type into (organic: natural fibers, & inorganic: oxides, hydroxides, salts, silicates, and metals), by end users (automotive, building & construction, industrial, and packaging), and by region (Asia-Pacific, North America, Europe, and RoW). The base year considered for the study is 2014, and the forecast period is between 2015 and 2020.Download PDF Brochure:Salts, silicates, and oxides, the largest types of polymer fillerThe growing popularity of polymer fillers in various types play a significant role in driving the market. Salts, silicates, and oxides are its most important types. The rising demand for low-cost fillers in countries, such as the U.S., Germany, India, and Brazil is expected to increase their demand in the coming years. Stringent environmental regulations and government guidelines have increased the importance of polymer fillers globally in the recent years. The U.S. is focused on increasing investments in the chemical processing sector, which will boost the demand for polymer fillers in the packaging, industrial, and automotive segments.Rising demand in Asia-Pacific is the major driver for of the polymer filler marketAsia-Pacific was the largest and North America was the second-largest market for polymer fillers in 2014. The Asia-Pacific region also registered the highest growth rate between 2015 and 2020. The high demand in Asia-Pacific is due to growth in the building & construction and packaging industries in the last few years. The Chinese market for polymer fillers is growing at a fast pace, primarily due to the growing manufacturing sector driving the consumption of plastics-related products, domestically.The key companies profiled in the polymer fillers market research report are Imerys S.A. (France), LKAB Group (Sweden), Minerals Technologies Inc. (U.S.), Omya AG (Switzerland), 20Micron Limited (India), Hoffman Minerals (Germany), GCR Group (Spain), Unimin Corporation (U.S), Quarzwerke Group (Germany), and Karntner Montanindustrie Gesellschaft M.B.H. (Austria).Speak To Analyst:The scope of the report covers detailed information regarding the major factors influencing the growth of the polymer fillers market such as drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities. A detailed analysis of the key industry players has been done to provide insights into their business overview, products & services, key strategies such as investments & expansions and mergers & acquisitions, and recent developments associated with the market. The polymer fillers market has been segmented by type (organic: natural fibers and inorganic: oxides, hydroxides, salts, silicates, metals, and others), by end user (automotive, building & construction, industrial, packaging, and others) and by region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW).About MarketsandMarketsMarketsandMarkets is the worlds No. 2 firm in terms of annually published premium market research reports. Serving 1700 global fortune enterprises with more than 1200 premium studies in a year, M&M is catering to a multitude of clients across 8 different industrial verticals. We specialize in consulting assignments and business research across high growth markets, cutting edge technologies and newer applications. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors.M&Ms flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. The new included chapters on Methodology and Benchmarking presented with high quality analytical infographics in our reports gives complete visibility of how the numbers have been arrived and defend the accuracy of the numbers.We at MarketsandMarkets are inspired to help our clients grow by providing apt business insight with our huge market intelligence repository.UNIT no 802, Tower no. 7,SEZ, Magarpatta city, Hadapsar Jan 11, 2018: Centrifugal Chiller Market Forecast 2023 Haier, Dunham Bush, Midea, Carrier Centrifugal Chiller Market http://bit.ly/2CX8uUh http://www.spiremarketresearch.com/global-centrifugal-chiller-market-2017-size-share-research-demand-and-forecast-to-2022 http://www.spiremarketresearch.com Centrifugal Chiller Market Research 2018A market study "Global Centrifugal Chiller Market" examines the performance of the Centrifugal Chiller market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Centrifugal Chiller market state and the competitive landscape globally. 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We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USAWeb:Email: sales@spiremarketresearch.com Jan 11, 2018: Circular Saw Market Forecast 2023 Craftsman, Milwaukee, Makita, Sencan, Clarke Circular Saw Market http://bit.ly/2DgKjOc http://www.spiremarketresearch.com/global-circular-saw-market-2017-size-share-research-demand-and-forecast-to-2022 http://www.spiremarketresearch.com Circular Saw Market Research 2018A market study "Global Circular Saw Market" examines the performance of the Circular Saw market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Circular Saw market state and the competitive landscape globally. 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It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Circular Saw report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Circular Saw industry, Circular Saw industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Circular Saw Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Circular Saw research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Circular Saw market revenue worldwide.Finally, Circular Saw market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:"Spire Market Research" is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USAWeb:Email: sales@spiremarketresearch.com Intense Technologies Ltd Intense Technologies Ltd https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/1273919-intense-technologies-ltd https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/1273919-intense-technologies-ltd https://www.linkedin.com/company/wise-guy-research-consultants-pvt-ltd-?trk=biz-companies-cym https://www.wiseguyreports.com Intense Technologies LtdIntense Technologies Ltd Company Profile & Financial Analysis contains in depth information and data about the company and its operations. You will find information on the business structure, areas of operation, products and services offered by the company. It also comprises SWOT analysis, key ratios, historical financial data and insiders view on financial stability and industrial ranking with financial forecasts for two- year period.This report is a decisive resource for industry executives and stakeholders who are looking to access key information about Intense Technologies Ltd . It helps you formulate strategies that augment your business by enabling you to understand your partners, customers and competitors better.The report utilizes a wide range of primary and secondary sources, which are analyzed and presented in a consistent and easily accessible format. SKBKS strictly follows a standardized research methodology to ensure high levels of data quality and these characteristics guarantee a unique report.Try Sample Report @ABSTRACTIntense Technologies Limited is a global enterprise software products company, headquartered in India with a strong and emerging presence in USA, LATAM, EMEA and APAC. The companys enterprise software products are used globally by Fortune 500s for digital transformation of customer centric business processes resulting in improved revenues, greater customer centricity and reduced operational expenses.Intense Technologies serves customers in 35 countries across 4 continents, with a 70% market share in Telecom in South Asia. Today, it processes US$25bn worth of client revenue data and has a 500 million subscriber base across its engagements. It has sales offices in Singapore, UAE, USA and UK.REPORT HIGHLIGHTS Business description A detailed description of the companys operations and business divisions Corporate business strategies Analysts summarization of the companys business strategies Major products and services A descriptive list of major products, services and brands of the company. Company history Major milestones achieved by the company Stock details- Ticker code at BSE and NSE, Market capitalization, Share price, 52 week relative performance at BSE, share holding pattern for the recent quarter Major Mergers & Acquisitions trends-a descriptive strategic acquisitions done by the company during the course of operations Financial Analysis- Five year financial summary; financial performance analysis of the company- a yearly and quarterly Detailed financial ratios for the past five years The latest financial ratios derived from the annual financial statements with 5 years history. Cost structure- Five year cost structure analysis as percentage of sales Industry and peer competitors Competitive economic environment in the industry and comparative financial analysis of peers. SWOT Analysis A detailed analysis of the companys strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats. Recent developments and Investment-Includes recent activities and strategies followed by the company and investments done and planned for future Outlook- Outlook of the industry with growth drivers Analysts view on the company with forecast for two year period. Supplemented with graphs and tabular information wherever necessaryFor Detailed Reading Please visit WiseGuy Reports @REASONS TO BUYu Quickly enhance your understanding of Intense Technologies Ltdu Gain insight into the marketplace and a better understanding of internal and external factors which could impact the industry.u Increase business/sales activities by understanding your competitors businesses better.u Recognize potential partnerships and suppliers.u Examine potential investment and acquisition targets with this reports detailed insight into the companys strategic, business and operational performance.u Gain key insights into the company for academic or business research purposes. Key elements such as SWOT analysis and corporate strategy are incorporated in the profile to assist your academic or business research needs.For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comAbout UsWise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports understand how essential statistical surveying information is for your organization or association. Therefore, we have associated with the top publishers and research firms all specialized in specific domains, ensuring you will receive the most reliable and up to date research data available.Contact Us:Norah Trent+1 646 845 9349 / +44 208 133 9349Follow on LinkedIn:Wise Guy Reports Is Part Of The Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. And Offers Premium Progressive Statistical Surveying, Market Research Reports, Analysis & Forecast Data For Industries And Governments Around The Globe. Wise Guy Reports Features An Exhaustive List Of Market Research Reports From Hundreds Of Publishers Worldwide. We Boast A Database Spanning Virtually Every Market Category And An Even More Comprehensive Collection Of Market Research Reports Under These Categories And Sub-Categories.Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt LtdPune 411028Maharashtra,Ph: +91 841 198 5042 Global DNA Sequencing Products Market 2017: Region Wise Analysis of Top Players in Market By Types and Application https://www.imarcgroup.com/request?type=report&id=839&flag=B https://www.imarcgroup.com/dna-sequencing-products-market https://www.imarcgroup.com/cataract-surgical-devices-market https://www.imarcgroup.com/artificial-organs-market www.imarcgroup.com The global DNA sequencing products market has been witnessing a positive growth. This can be attributed to the confluence of declining prices of sequencing and increasing development in sequencing technologies.Request a free sample report:The latest report by IMARC Group, titled DNA Sequencing Products Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2017-2022, finds that the global DNA sequencing products market reached a value of more than US$ 3 Billion in 2016. Over the past few decades, DNA sequencing has become an important part of biology and other sciences. It ascertains the physical order of four bases of DNA which include adenine, guanine, thymine, and cytosine. Apart from this, DNA sequencing is also used for measuring the sequence of individual genes, entire genomes and full chromosomes of any organism. Some advantages offered by DNA sequencing include high accuracy and speed, low cost and precise results from low sample input.Highlights of the global DNA sequencing products market:Advancements in technology act as a major factor bolstering the growth of the market.Research organisations represent the largest application area accounting for the majority of the global share.North America is the leading market for DNA sequencing products.In recent years, a number of manufacturers across the globe have invested in several R&D projects due to which there have been technological developments in personalised medicines. For instance, an international scientific research project, namely, the Human Genome Project brought about a major transformation in DNA sequencing technologies. Medical facilities are now offering sequencing-based treatments, quantitative assessments of genomic sequences and rapid DNA sequencer for large-scale and Sanger sequencing. This, in turn, has positively contributed to the growth of the global DNA sequencing products market. As a result, global DNA sequencing products market is further expected to reach a value of more than US$ 9 Billion, exhibiting a CAGR of more than 19% during 2017-2022.On the basis of product type, consumables and reagents currently exhibit a clear dominance in the market, followed by equipment. Based on application, research organisations represent the largest application area of DNA sequencing products market. It is followed by hospitals, pharmaceutical and life science companies. Region-wise, North America accounts for the majority of the total global share. This is due to declining costs of sequencing along with the presence of well-established vendors in the region. Other major markets include Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Middle East and Africa. The competitive landscape of the market has also been analysed with some of the key players operating in the market being Illumina Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Roche Diagnostics, Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc. and Beckman Coulter.Read full report with TOC:The report by IMARC Group has examined the global DNA sequencing products market on the basis of:Product Type:Consumables and ReagentsEquipmentApplication:Research OrganisationsHospitals, Pharmaceutical and Life Science CompaniesRegion:North AmericaEuropeAsia PacificLatin AmericaMiddle East and AfricaKey Players:Illumina Inc.Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.Roche DiagnosticsPacific Biosciences of California, Inc.Beckman CoulterBrowse related reports:Cataract Surgical Devices Market Research Report:Artificial Organs Market Research Report:About UsIMARC Group is a leading market research company that offers management strategy and market research worldwide. We partner with clients in all sectors and regions to identify their highest-value opportunities, address their most critical challenges, and transform their businesses.IMARCs information products include major market, scientific, economic and technological developments for business leaders in pharmaceutical, industrial, and high technology organizations. Market forecasts and industry analysis for biotechnology, advanced materials, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, travel and tourism, nanotechnology and novel processing methods are at the top of the companys expertise.Contact usIMARC Group309 2nd St, Brooklyn, NY 11215, USAWebsite:Email: sales@imarcgroup.comUSA: +1-631-791-1145Follow us on twitter: @imarcglobal Power Distribution Unit Market - Present Scenario and the Growth Prospects with Forecast 2024 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=4384 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/power-distribution-unit-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/checkout.php?rep_id=4384